The Governess
by Sweet Little Bullet
Summary: As a single mother of two, Hermione was in desperate need of a job. When an offer to give her just that appears, will she be able to put the past aside and work for someone she once hated? And what happens when she finds herself falling for her new boss? And what is lurking in the shadows that might put an end to everything? Dramione.
1. Of Mourning

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other recognizable works, despite how much I might wish for it.**

 **A/N: The following is a work of fanfiction. I do not claim to be a professional. In fact, far from it but I do enjoy spinning a good tale. I have recently fallen in love with the Dramione ship and while I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, I hope that if you enjoy it you will let me know. Also, for those who may be waiting for me to finish my TWD story, Little Do You know, I'm working on it, I promise! I seem to have run into a block and despite how hard I push I can't break it down! It doesn't help that the caryl interaction was next to nothing on this last half season. But I digress. HUGE thanks to my fellow house mate/mommy friend, HufflepuffMommy for beta reading and helping me tweak things, and writing the summary and talking me down from the ledge and, and, and. Endless thanks lady! Now, on to the story! Enjoy! Also, WeasleyWeakness, I love you. Don't hate me for what I'm about to do.**

 **Chapter 1-** **Of mourning.**

Hermione sat on the small mound of earth, weaving her fingers through the grass as she let out a slow, long sigh.

"It's been three years." She said softly before she stopped. It was the first time in a long time that she could remember being at a loss for words.

An owl hooted in the distance and she took the time to look up at the dark sky. There was a time, she supposed, where she had longed to do something similar. Sitting with him, gazing at the stars, pouring out her heart.

She cleared her throat and looked back down, her eyes gazing but not entirely seeing as she continued.

"I'm a mess… I don't even know what I'm doing. The family, they help, they try. Godric knows _I try_ but sometimes I just don't know if it's enough. And I'm so, so… _mad_. I'm cross with you for playing the hero, again. Why couldn't you have just waited. I'm angry at _them_. I'm just, so angry. And I know that if you were here you'd be scolding me for it, and I think- I think that's what hurts the worst. But I can't do this. I can't keep waiting on you. I can't…."

She trailed off as she plucked a piece of grass from beneath her fingers and idly started tearing it to shreds, the desire to destroy something so great within her that she couldn't breathe for fear of hurting someone. Something.

18 years. 18 years she had had him in her life. It seemed like such a short time in the grand scheme of things. Her life had only just started, only just begun when it was torn apart. It just wasn't fair. It would never be fair.

"I can't keep doing this either." She said out loud, the bitter edge in her voice not lost on her. "I can't keep keeping track of my life in time spent without you. I can't."

The owl sounded again and she sighed before she pulled herself up on her knees more, farther away from him.

"I don't know what you'd want from me. I just… I don't know. And that scares me more than anything else. The not knowing." She laughed sardonically, imagining his response to that. "I miss you but I have to do it. I have to move on… I have to let go. For them. For me."

She felt the tears on her cheek and she reached up to wipe them away before she pulled back and instead reached out, grasping the cold stone beneath her palm as she said goodbye to her best friend, her lover, her husband.

"I'm so sorry Ron." She whispered and she rested her hand there a moment before she breathed evenly and with one long, final look at the headstone she disapparated.

* * *

Hermione apparated directly into the living room and immediately she tensed.

She had been living here, under their roof for nearly three years. It had made sense, at first, for her to move in with the Weasley's, to raise her children in the burrow with her mother and father-in- law. Now however it was a painful reminder every time she walked through the door. The smell of laundry and freshly mown grass and _Ronald_ just cut her deeper with each inhale and she missed him with every fiber of her being. She had begun to loathe the place, in her anger at him, and she couldn't do that. She wouldn't do that.

"'Mione?" Ginny's voice pulled her out of her thoughts and she turned to see her sister-in-law standing, staring at her worriedly.

Hermione looked at her then, really looked, and it seemed like the first time she had actually seen Ginevra Weasley Potter in years. Ginny met her gaze and her mouth opened in a perfect little 'o' shape and realization dawned on her.

"I just…" Hermione stuttered. "I need to go."

Ginny nodded. "Alright, I'll let mum know that you-"

"No." Hermione cut in. "We need to go. I need- _We_ need to get out of here."

Ginny looked as though Hermione had slapped her and Hermione stepped forward, yearning to get upstairs. "You can't…"

Hermione stopped then, tears pricking at her eyes as she pleaded with her sister. "Please Ginny… I just want to get them and go."

"He wouldn't want this Hermione." She pressed on. "Ron wouldn't-"

"Don't you dare." She hissed. "Don't you dare tell me what he would or wouldn't want."

"He was my _brother_ Hermione-"

"And he was my _husband."_ She spat. "and I can't live in this house, with reminders of him day in and day out. I _can't_."

"Why now? After three years Hermione, why now?"

Hermione shook her head and looked at the woman before her. There was no way she would understand. No way she _could_ understand. "I don't know."

"You can't just leave." Ginny implored.

"What would you do?" Hermoine asked vehemently. "If it were Harry, what would you do?"

Ginny opened her mouth, to either argue or deflect but was cut off by Harry's soft voice from behind her. "Let her go Gin."

Hermione met his eyes and saw her own emotions reflected back to her. Sadness, pain, loss. Only Harry _couldn't_ leave.

"You can't be serious." Ginny said as Hermione threw herself past her and the redheaded witch rounded on her husband. "She's leaving Harry. She's going to take them with her."

"I know." Hermione heard the man answer softly as she reached the second floor landing and entered the small room and shut the door on the conversation below.

"Mummy?" Rose sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as Hermione threw things in bags left and right.

"Yes sweetheart?" She asked as she secured the rucksack and sat on the edge of the bed, helping Rose into her coat.

"Why was aunt Ginny yelling?" The girl asked before letting out a large yawn.

Hermione smiled as she smoothed her daughter's hair and then moved to wake the sleeping toddler on the other end of the bed. Both of her babies were their father's children through and through. "She's just upset darling. It's alright."

"Are we going somewhere mummy?" Rose asked as Hermione shouldered the bag and then lifted the stubbornly sleeping Hugo into her arms.

"Yes love." She replied and turned to open the door, gesturing for her daughter to follow her.

"Hermione." Molly Weasley cried when she saw the witch coming down the stairs, her arms full of sleeping child and hastily packed bags.

Hermione shook her head, trying to surpress the tears that were threatening her lashes as her mother-in-law pulled her into her shoulder, begging with her to stay.

"Mummy…" Hugo protested and Hermione smiled ruefully at him as she pulled away.

"Give Grandmum hugs now." Hermione commanded and allowed Hugo to leave her arms, still half asleep, as Molly attacked him with hugs and kisses.

"Be a good girl." Harry was saying to Rose, leaning into kiss her forehead lightly before she attached herself to his neck and he stood up, pulling the girl with him as he reached out to Hermione.

"Ginny?" Hermione asked and Harry shook his head.

"She'll be fine. She'll understand." Harry said against her forehead and she nodded, letting him hold her for a moment before she finally pulled away and reached out for Hugo once more. He leapt from his grandfather's arms and the trio made their way to the fireplace.

"Where will you go" Molly asked despondently and Hermione merely shrugged as she led Rose in with her, clutching her daughter to her side and her son in her arms.

With one final glance she tossed the floo powder, murmuring the only place she could think of as she watched her family disappear behind the green flames.

* * *

"Hermione?" Neville asked as he jumped up off of his couch, Hannah Abbot nearly falling over behind him at the movement.

"Oh. I'm so sorry Neville…." She started, as guilt and embarrassment flooded her. "I just thought of the first place I could…"

"No, no, come in. Please." Neville said quickly and he opened his arms just as Rose launched herself at him. "Are you okay?"

Hermione's eyes flitted toward Hannah on the couch and then back to Neville before she nodded. "We're fine. I shouldn't have… I'm so sorry."

"I was just leaving anyway." Hannah said quickly, standing up with a smile and moving closer to touch Hugo lightly on the nose before reaching out and kissing Neville on the cheek. "I have to get back or Rosmerta will have my head."

"Of course." Neville agreed with a smile and Hermione felt her heart tug lightly as she watched her leave. She turned back as Neville tickled Rose lightly on the tummy and then kissed her cheek and sat her down. "Let's go find a biscuit."

Rose, excited at the prospect of a sweet, hurried along and Hermione sat down their things on the hearth until Neville returned and gave Hugo a treat as well before directing them to some spare parchment he had lying around.

"I am so sorry Neville… I didn't even floo ahead, I just…"

"'Mione, stop." He smiled. "Is everything okay?"

She swallowed and nodded, blinking against the tears that threatened her vision before she explained herself. "He's everywhere there. I feel like I'm drowning Neville. I miss him, _so_ much. But I'm angry, so angry. At him. At everyone. I just, I need to get out, to find myself."

"Is that why you left the ministry?" Neville asked quietly and she nodded stiffly. She knew leaving the cushy ministry job had been a risk. She hadn't thought twice about it though when she told them she was leaving.

"They're dedicating a monument to him."

"To you too." Neville smiled sadly and Hermione felt her lips purse.

"The golden trio…"

She trailed off, letting the heavy weight of all they had lost hang over them before Rose and Hugo started arguing over one thing or another and then Rose pushed Hugo who proceeded to burst into tears as Hermione rushed to him.

"Rose." She admonished her daughter, picking up the sobbing toddler.

The girl shrugged but reached over to pat her brother's head and give him a toothy grin. Her heart stopped as she looked at her daughter, so much like her father that it hurt and she turned to Neville who seemed to notice the same thing as he turned, nodding at her. "Stay here as long as you need."

* * *

"She's hurt Hermione…" Harry said softly, squeezing her hand as they walked down the road, the children bouncing along in front of them as they snacked on the Honeyduke's sweets Uncle Harry had bestowed upon them.

"I understand that but…"

Harry raised a brow, "We're talking about the same Ginny right? Do you seriously not _know_ her?"

Hermione smiled at that one, remembering the girl from long ago that didn't take anyone's shit and was quicker with a bat bogey hex than she was a library index. "Yes, of course you're right. She's your wife after all."

Harry laughed as he let go of her hand to pull her against his side. "She'll come around. She always does. She just… needs time to process this. It was a bit of a shock. I mean, you do realize you could have told someone right? You could have told _me_."

She bit her lip as she looked at her best friend then, noting the lines that had settled on his face. Stress, worry, the pain of losing so many of his loved ones, it had all taken its toll. "I know, I do, and I am sorry. I just- I wasn't even sure what I wanted. I… I still don't."

"Mummy." Rose said, tugging on Hermione's sleeve. "Can we look at the owls?"

"Not right now love." Hermione answered with a small smile before turning back to Harry.

"Well, whatever you do want, we'll be behind you one hundred percent. Just… tell us."

"I will." She promised quietly. "I _am_ sorry Harry."

"I know." Harry said, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. "Me too."

And she knew that he wasn't just talking about the argument, or his wife. He was talking about so much more. She swallowed against the lump that was quickly forming in her throat as she blinked against the wetness in her eyes and looked away from her friend.

"Rose?" She said, her voice rising as she noticed her daughters absence. "Hugo, where is your sister?"

Hugo shrugged as he continued to lick his lolly and her heart rate increased as he pulled herself out of Harry's grasp. "Rose?"

"It's okay Hermione; she probably just went to look at the owls." Harry assured her. "I'll go look."

She allowed that as she scooped Hugo up in her arms and moved off to the side of the street, watching Harry's back until he disappeared around a corner and fighting the urge to run screaming through Hogsmeade until she found her daughter.

The minutes ticked on and she fidgeted as she stood under the alcove for Gladrag's Wizardwear watching the crowd for either Harry's return or her daughter's mess of red hair.

"Granger." She startled at the voice, turning around to come face to face with Draco Malfoy, a man she hadn't seen in years. "Does this belong to you?"

She gasped as she followed his gaze down to see her daughter staring sheepishly up at her from where she stood directly in front of Malfoy. She didn't think twice as she hit her knees, pulling her daughter against her and burying her face in her hair.

"Rose. You scared me to death." She finally admonished.

"I'm sorry mummy. I just wanted to see the owls."

"I told you we would take you to see the owls, next time you'll wait for mummy right?"

Rose nodded as her bottom lip trembled and Hermione reached out to pull her in for one last hug before she straightened up to her full height.

"Thank you so much Malfoy. I-"

"'Mione!'" she turned as Neville raced up, his face red and his eyes wide as Harry followed closely behind. "Oh, Rose!"

Rose launched herself at Neville, large fat tears already rolling down her cheeks as Hermione turned back to Malfoy. She tensed as she saw that the neutral expression he had worn moments ago was gone, replaced instead by a look she could call nothing but loathing.

"Just keep better tabs on your children. I presume her father wouldn't care to hear that you had lost one of his heirs. Though, with the amount of children I'm sure the Weasley family already has.."

"Hey!" Harry cut in, moving forward to stand in front of Hermione, his posture defensive and Neville set Rose down, nudging her towards Hermione as he too moved to stand toe to toe with the blonde.

"In any case, I must be going." And without another word, Draco turned back and disappeared into Gladrag's.

"Git." Harry spat and then turned, his eyes wide. "Uncle Harry didn't say that."

"Yes you did." Rose argued and Neville sniggered slightly as they started to move out of the shops way and back into Hogsmeade.

As Hermione finished up her shopping, bidding good-bye to Harry and promising to not give up on his wife, she couldn't get Malfoy's face out of her head. Because before the men had showed up, he had almost seemed… concerned.

She shook her head of the thought. There was no way that Malfoy was capable of such emotion. If Ron had had the emotional range of a teaspoon, she wasn't sure there was a measurement small enough for the slytherin.

And just like that, her thoughts drifted back to her husband once more. As she drifted off to sleep that night, she could have sworn she heard his laughter.

* * *

 **A/N: I have a thing for sweater vests so Neville is my bae. Don't try to talk me out of it. Have I mentioned that this story is done? Written and ready to go. Also, I have trouble deciding whether to use Disapparating or Apparating. Meh.**


	2. Of Employment

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other recognizable works no matter how much I might wish for it.**

 **A/N: Thank you so much for the follows, favorites and reviews. Please review if you can! I love to hear what you're thinking! Huge thanks to Hufflepuffmommy, she's awesome!**

 **Chapter 2- Of Employment**

Hermione sighed as she finished sealing up the last of her queries and stood up. Hugo was sleeping away the remnants of too many biscuits and Neville was trying, and failing, to teach Rose some card game.

"I'm just going to run these down to the owlery." She said quietly and shook her head as soon as Rose looked up hopefully, "Not today love, stay with uncle Neville and I'll be right back."

"Ok." The girl said solemnly before she looked back at Neville. "Can we play wizards chess now?"

Neville sighed dramatically and nodded. "I guess, if we must."

Hermione laughed to herself as she left them to it, knowing Rose had been pestering Neville all weekend to play wizards chess with her, and knowing that despite the fact that she was only four that she was likely to win against the large marshmallow she called a friend.

She walked briskly to the owlery, waving at a few passers-by who called out to her, but kept focused on the task at hand. She was eternally grateful for Neville and that he had opened up his home to not only her but also her children, but she knew that she couldn't outstay her welcome and as such was currently applying for every job she could find that she was even slightly qualified for.

She sent her post, staying for a few moments to talk to the post master before she left the owlery only to run directly into Draco Malfoy. She stumbled a little as she hit his chest, staggering backwards at the impact and she flailed wildly as she tried to stay upright until Malfoy's hand reached out, stilling her motions and halting her impromptu meeting with the ground.

"Thank you." She breathed once she had righted herself.

Malfoy nodded but said nothing and it was only then, as she stood awkwardly blocked in her retreat, that she noticed he wasn't alone. The little boy was standing slightly behind him, his fists clenching the black robes his father wore as he peeked around at her with a pale face.

"Well, hello." She said gently with a smile. "Who might you be?"

"Granger." Malfoy said, his voice tight and she looked back to see him glaring daggers at her. Instinctively she took a small step back, only to narrow her eyes and stand up straighter. "This is my son-"

"I'm Scorpius." Malfoy cut off sharply, looking quickly down at the little boy, his eyebrows knit together as Hermione once again turned her attention to the little boy.

"Hello Scorpius. I'm Hermione, it's nice to meet you."

The little boy nodded but said nothing else as he pressed himself closer even still to his father. She sighed and straightened up again. "Thank you, again."

Malfoy nodded and she moved to step around him, chewing on her lip as she went by. She continued on a few steps before she heard a sigh behind her and her maiden name pass his lips.

"Yes?" She asked, turning around .

"I-" Malfoy started before he looked down at the little boy and reached to smooth his hair back before looking back to her. "We've been in Paris for six years. We've only just returned."

Confusion filled her face for a moment before she realized that he had been gone. He wouldn't have known about Ron. She nodded her understanding and he returned the gesture and without another word, he turned on his heel and went into the owlery. It wasn't until they had entered the building that Scorpius turned around and quickly picked his hand up, waving at her.

She realized, as she stood outside, that Draco Malfoy had just done something she wasn't even sure he was capable of doing. In his own way, he had apologized. It was enough to make her cheeks turn pink all the way home, and she was loathed to admit it had little to do with the cold.

* * *

"I honestly don't know much." Neville said as he sat down at the table opposite her, stirring a sugar cube into his tea.

"But, you do know something?" She pressed, sipping at her own cup.

"Well, he married Astoria Greengrass…"

"Greengrass?"

"Daphne's younger sister? Daphne was in our grade." He explained.

"Right. Yes. Sorry, continue."

Neville smiled. "His son is Rose's age… or around there. I know Ginny was worried that Al and he would be born in the same month. Something about upstaging… I don't even know."

Hermione chuckled, thinking of Ginny trying to coax baby Albus out early if only to avoid having a Potter and a Malfoy birthday in the same month. "So what happened? To Astoria I mean."

"Well, see, that's the thing. She disappeared. The whole family was very mum about it and some people cried foul because of well... who Malfoy is but I honestly don't even know. They were living in France, I'm not entirely sure why. But Astoria ended up missing and there was a lot of scrutiny about it but it eventually fizzled out."

"Why did I never hear about it though?" she mused out loud.

"It was right before Ron." Neville choked out and Hermione looked up to see his eyes mist and she reached out, covering his hand with her own. "Honestly, I think the entire world mourned his loss Hermione. As wrong as it sounds to say, Astoria meant nothing next to him."

She bit back her tears as she comforted her best friend. Because as wrong as it was, she was sure he was right. Ron was one third of the golden trio, Harry Potter's best friend, Hermione's beloved husband. His death had been sudden, unexpected, and covered by every magical news outlet in Europe. She was almost sure that it had reached other areas as well, but at the time she hadn't much cared. Though to be fair, she hadn't much cared about anything.

"Why do you ask though?" Neville finally asked and she shook the thoughts away as she turned to him.

"I ran into him at the owlery. Literally, ran into him. He… kind of apologized for what he said about Ron… I don't know. Scorpius told me his name and the whole exchange was just…odd."

"Wait- what?" Neville said quickly, looking up from his tea leaves. "You said Scorpius talked to you?"

"Well- yes?" She said, recalling his timid voice as he told her his name. "Why?"

Neville shook his head in disbelief. "Because that's one thing I _do_ know. Scorpius doesn't talk. Ever. People say there's something wrong with him. The Prophet ran a story on it a few months back."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Please, Neville, you know not to believe a word you read in the prophet."

Neville nodded. "Yes, but see that's the thing, I've met Scorpius, he really doesn't talk. To anyone. Even Malfoy."

Hermione blinked as she stared at the man before her, recalling the memory at the owlery, because she was sure that he had indeed talked to her. And if Neville was right, then that would explain Malfoy's reaction. She hummed to herself as her mind wandered back to the meeting, to the way Malfoy truly did look sorry, although he never said those exact words.

"Hermione?" Neville's voice brought her back to the present.

"Sorry,what?" She said distractedly as Neville chuckled.

"I'm going to dinner with Hannah tonight." He said finally. "Just wanted to tell you to uh… not wait up." His blush was enough of a giveaway as Hermione smiled and reached over to cup her hand over his.

"Thank you Neville… for everything."

"You don't have to thank me Hermione. You're family, you know that." He turned his hand over, grasping hers in his hand and squeezing lightly as the two sat in companionable silence until the tell-tale signs of the kids waking from their morning naps took them out of their seats. Hermione watched as Neville played with Hugo's Quidditch figures while Rose brushed his hair and she realized she had never been more thankful for her friends than she was now.

* * *

"Aunt Mione!" James yelled as he barreled out of the fireplace and directly into her knees.

"Jamie!" she yelled in response, bending down to pick up the wild headed boy and giving him a rather large and sloppy kiss, laughing as he pulled a face and wiped the evidence away as Harry appeared behind him, a half sleeping Albus tucked against him.

"Hey Harry." She said, moving over to hug him with one arm as James ran off to find Rose and Harry sat Albus down next to Hugo.

"'Mione." He said, hugging her back.

"Where's Ginny?" She asked lightly and Harry shook his head minutely.

"She sends her regards. She's feeling… under the weather." He explained and realization dawned on Hermione.

"Oh Harry… she's…"

"Yeah." He laughed, reaching up to rub the back of his neck. "About two months gone. She was going to tell you, the night that you…"

Hermione breathed as she realized the night she had broken her best friend's heart was the night she was going to tell her she was going to have another nephew or niece.

"She's coming around though." Harry said quickly, noticing Hermione's expression. "She is. She let me bring the boys. Molly wants to see the kids by the way, Arthur too. They're going to visit Charlie, spend some time away; they want to see them before they go."

Hermione nodded absently as she moved into Neville's kitchen to put the kettle on and she could feel Harry's eyes on her. "I'll owl them later, find a time to meet…"

"Hermione-"

"Maybe they can meet us here in Hogsmeade so Ginny doesn't have to clear out when we come."

"Hermione-"

"Unless you want to come get the kids so they can see Ginny too, I know they… they miss her and-"

Harry stepped forward then, grasping her upper arms firmly as he bent down a little to look directly into her eyes. "Hermione, stop."

"I just- I don't understand how things got like this. I mean, I know how but… but I'm so, _angry_. That he's gone. That he left me here without him." It was the first time she had said those words to him. To the man who was with Ron when it all happened. To her best friend.

Harry didn't respond and instead pulled her against him, wrapping his arms around her tightly as he rested his cheek against her head. "I know. I… I miss him too."

And in those words, Hermione heard the pain her friend was going through. The pain of knowing that it was his mission that had started everything; the guilt of seeing his remaining best friend losing her husband. She squeezed him back and they stood there in the middle of Neville's kitchen, embracing until the kids appeared to demand they were hungry. As Hermione pulled away, she realized that Harry's posture were a little straighter, some of the invisible weight lifted from his shoulders. It wasn't until later, as they all walked towards Balderdash; the new restaurant in Hogsmeade, that she realized her own step was a little lighter as well.

* * *

"Draco Malfoy just walked in." Harry said quietly behind his menu with a glance at the doorway.

Hermione's smile faltered as he too looked towards the door to see him walking in, a raven haired witch on his arm.

"That's Pansy Parkinson." Harry said lowly and Hermione did a double take at the witch noting that she had either grown into her face or someone had helped it along. "Collins and I were talking at the office yesterday and apparently things aren't so bright and sunny at the Malfoy Manor."

"Have they ever been?" she quipped as she reached over to stop Rose from tossing a wadded up napkin at James.

"True." Harry admitted. "Apparently after he killed his wife…"

"Harry!" She admonished and the wizard had the sense to look a little guilty as he sipped his pumpkin juice. "Not you too!"

"I know, it's just… I mean, can you blame me."

She raised an eyebrow at her best friend before turning her gaze back to the tall blonde just as she saw the smaller matching head appear beside him. Scorpius's large eyes gazed around and in that moment he looked so much like his father that Hermione almost cringed until his eyes met hers and she saw the smile creep on to his face as he raised his small hand in a little wave.

"Did Scorpius Malfoy just wave at you?" Harry asked quietly and Hermione nodded.

"He did. I ran into Malfoy at the owlery the other day, literally."

Harry straightened up. "He didn't say anything did he?"

"No- well, nothing bad. He actually kind of apologized." She insisted and chuckled at Harry's shocked expression. "I know, I said the same thing. I was sending my resume out and he was just there and, well, it was different."

Harry nodded but apparently thought better about pressing the issue as he changed the subject. "Have you any new leads on a job yet?"

"No" she sighed. "Bartholomew Windlow owl'd me about a position but with the children it just wouldn't work. I was really hoping to find something that would allow me more time with them."

"Hermione ,you know Kingsley would welcome you back, no one blames you for-"

"No Harry. I made the right decision." She said sharply, ignoring her friends hurt look.

"Mummy, do hippogriffs really eat mermaids?" Rose said suddenly and Hermione turned to figure out where her child had come up with such a ridiculous idea, her attention diverted long enough until Harry elbowed her sharply as she took a sip of her drink.

"Malfoy is coming this way." He said sternly and Hermione nearly choked as she turned to see that indeed the man was striding across the restaurant towards them. She quickly glanced around, noting that they had been placed at a table that was by itself, probably to allow them a little more privacy then they were usually afforded as the remaining two members of the 'golden trio' and their offspring. She sighed and straightened up, preparing herself for the onslaught of testosterone that was sure to come when Malfoy reached the table where Harry was currently clenching his fists and his teeth and throwing protective glances at the children.

The blonde man reached the table, stopping a respectable distance away as he looked down at those seated from his position above them. "Granger-"

"Weasley actually." Harry corrected firmly from her side and she threw him a warning look before she turned back to Malfoy.

"Yes?" She asked, powering forward despite her best friend's furrowed brow and tightened jaw.

"May I speak with you a moment?" He asked, his voice low.

Hermione nodded and pushed her chair back just as Harry caught her wrist. "'Mione" He warned and she fixed him with a look before he slowly let go of her, turning his gaze back to Malfoy.

She walked around the table, letting him lead her off to the side, to a small alcove that hid a door to the kitchen.

"Malfoy." She said once they were situated and she was sure Harry wasn't going to come following with his wand drawn.

"Gran-Mrs. Weasley." He corrected himself before he cleared his throat. "I'm sure by now you've been briefed on my son."

Hermione pursed her lips but nodded anyway.

"Good, so then you know that he is… sensitive. He doesn't speak often, in fact his words to you were the first in months that I have heard him utter." He explained. "It seems that Scorpius has taken a shining to you."

"And it bothers you?" she guessed, "because of my blood?"

Draco looked at her then, his eyebrows raised nearly to his hairline before he shook his head. "Absolutely not."

"Then what is it? Because if you don't mind I'd like to get back to my children and have lunch with my family."

Malfoy nodded and powered forward. "You're a mother, I'm sure you can understand the want of a parent for their child. Ms. Parkinson's father let slip that you are in need of employment. It is thus I come to you to offer you a job."

"A job? I don't-"

"Did you not send a copious amount of resumes out at the owlery mere days ago?"

"Well yes, but I-"

"And have you received any job offers from those inquiries?" He drawled.

"No, but-"

"Then I stand by my previous statement. I would like to offer you a job."

"Malfoy." She said firmly, looking down as she shook her head. "I don't think that's wise."

"Why not?" He asked, perplexed and Hermione gaped at him then.

"Well, for starters, the fact that our history dictates that you loathe me for something I can't even control, not to mention your history in its entirety is-"

"Beg your pardon." Malfoy interrupted. "I thought school had ended. Surely you have changed since Hogwarts?"

Hermione swallowed but nodded. "Of course I-"

"Well, allow me to let you in on the secret. You are not the only one to have grown. To have matured." His voice was tight and his eyes dark as he leaned in conspiratorially.

"I didn't-" She stammered, pushing herself back against the wall as her eyes darted to where Harry was watching them with a murderous rage on his face and she willed herself to calm down to prevent a scene. "You're right. I'm sorry."

Malfoy straightened up then, pushing his hands deeper into the pockets of his robe as his eyes flickered to where Harry was already halfway out of his chair. "In any case, my offer still stands. You can owl me if you wish to accept."

And before she could answer, he had turned on his heel and left. She stood there for a few moments longer, willing her heart rate to calm before she finally turned and went back to the table, intent on having a nice dinner with her children and her best friend. Yet as she tore into her spaghetti Bolognese, and deflected Harry's curiosity, she couldn't get Draco's stormy grey eyes out of her mind.

It wasn't until much later, as she laid in bed with Hugo draped over her and Rose tucked into her side that she realized she was seriously considering his offer. And that, that scared her more than anything else.

 **A/N: So there's a little Dramione action for you. Also, I'm changing the summary on this story. It will be a little bit more dramatic as we go on. Please, review!**


	3. Of Meetings

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other recognizable works as much as I might wish that I did.**

 **A/N: Thanks to HufflepuffMommy. Also, WW- 3**

 **Chapter 3-Of Meetings**

"You're not serious." Neville said stiffly, leaning across the table as she sipped her tea. "Hermione!"

"I don't see what the problem is." She said casually before leveling her daughter a look as she tried to sneak a sweet off the tray.

"The problem is that it's Draco Bloody Malfoy." Neville snapped and then looked surprised at his own behavior.

"Look, Neville, I love you. You know that. And I know that you would do anything for the kids.."

"And for you." He said quickly.

"I know." She reassured him, reaching over to pat his hand. "But we can't stay here forever."

"You don't have to do this though."

Hermione sighed. "I know, and I'm not saying I'm going to accept. I'm just… going to hear what he has to say."

Neville nodded, leaning back in his chair, his posture defeated. "I know."

Hermione smiled at the man who had become family to her. "Besides, once we're out of your hair, you won't even miss us. I'm sure Hannah won't either."

Neville blushed and Hermione laughed lightly as he stammered his denial. "You know, you sound so much like Ron-" Neville broke off quickly, his eyes widening at his slip. "I'm so sorry 'mione, I didn't…"

"Neville." She said softly. "It's okay."

And she meant it. Because she knew her friends tried hard to keep it together. For her, and for Rose and Hugo who hardly remembered their father save for the memories that people made them privy too. She knew that she wasn't the only one hurting; the only one who missed him.

"Do you remember that time you tried to ask Padma out but you ended up asking out Parvati?"

"I do." Neville laughed. "Oh, I felt like such an arse."

Hermione joined in the laughter. "And then Ron gave you his reservation to Tres Magique."

"He did. He told me I needed it more than he did." Neville nodded and Hermione saw the tears welling in his eyes as he thought of that. "All of that and she still wouldn't agree to another date with me."

"But that was Ronald." Hermione said fondly. "He _tried_. He… that was the night he proposed to me."

"No." Neville gasped and Hermione smiled ruefully.

"It was. He told me last minute that he had lost the reservation so we ended up in the back room of the joke shop. He had bewitched some candles to float around us and had a picnic of these really awful tasting sandwiches but it was… it was perfect. It was him. He told me after that he had given you the reservation and he made me swear never to tell you…"

Neville was crying now and Hermione got up and moved over to him, pulling him to his feet as she embraced him and she felt his shoulders shake against her as all the pain he had been hiding for her sake finally surfaced. And she let him. Because it was his pain too, not just hers. Never just hers.

* * *

"Mrs. Weasley." Malfoy drawled as Hermione walked into the office behind the small house elf.

"Mr. Malfoy." She said curtly, wringing her hands on the handle of her bag as she moved further into the room and the elf slid out behind her, before effectively shutting her in.

"Have a seat." Malfoy said, and though she was sure that coming from anyone else it would have sounded like a kind request, from his lips all it did was make her cringe as she moved forward to sit uncomfortably on the chair. "I was glad to receive your owl yesterday. As I said the other day I am willing to offer you employment should you wish it. I know you were previously employed by the ministry and although I cannot offer you nearly the benefits that they do, I can offer you ample compensation as well as the ability to bring your children with you."

"What would the job entail?" She asked slowly, every nerve in her body seemingly hyper aware of her current predicament.

"A governess of course." He said flatly and she let out the breath she hadn't realized she had been holding as she nodded.

"And you wish for me to do it because-"

"My son, it seems, has taken a liking to you. His healer has suggested encouraging the relationships that he reaches out to make. I hope that in you accepting the job that he can come out of his shell a bit more."

She swallowed and looked away from Malfoy's intense gray gaze as her eyes caught sight of the picture on his desk. It was a simple picture, of Malfoy holding the younger version of himself as the young boy looked up at him adoringly. It was so unassuming and yet so commanding that she found it hard to pull her eyes away from it. The Malfoy in the picture was the complete antithesis of the boy she had slapped in third year who looked at everyone with disdain and loathing. She couldn't help but be enthralled. It wasn't until Malfoy cleared his throat that she realized too much time had passed since she had said anything.

"Okay." She finally said, and the word surprised even herself.

"Okay?" He asked and she could have sworn she saw the corner of his lip pull up.

"Yes. I said okay. I'll do it." She nodded. "I'll need to find somewhere close by and-"

"There will be no need." Malfoy said quickly and continued on at her furrowed brow. "There is a governess's suite here in the manor."

"I'm not staying here." She said quickly and she felt the hair on the back of her neck prickle at the thought of the last time she had been here.

To his credit, Malfoy seemed to understand her hesitance. "The drawing room is closed off and the governess's suite is on the other side of the manor. It's easier, really, if you are to be in the same house as us."

Hermione stared at him for what felt like forever as she warred with herself before she finally nodded. "Fine."

Malfoy looked somewhat surprised, obviously having expected more of a fight and finally he nodded, moving to stand up.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley." He said and she sighed as she stood up and pulled her purse with her.

"Can you… I mean… would you call me Hermione?" She finally asked and she could have sworn she saw his eyes soften ever so slightly as he stared her down from across the desk before he finally nodded.

"Okay." He said, mirroring her words from earlier and this time, he did smile.

She would never admit it, but as she left, she did too.

* * *

" _You what?!"_ Harry roared and she could have sworn she saw the vein in his neck start throbbing as his face started to turn a brilliant shade of red.

"I said I took a job as Malfoy's governess."

"Why the bloody hell would you do something stupid like that?" He snapped and she clenched her jaw as she turned on her best friend then.

"Because I can do what I want Harry. Because I am a widow and a mother and I am doing what is best for my children and me."

"Hermione." He ground out and she shook her head.

"No. Ronald is gone. He's dead Harry, in case you've forgotten. You were there." She saw him flinch at the memory of the thing he never talked about as she continued. "I am on my own here."

"You're not." He insisted and she saw him deflate a little bit.

"I am Harry. Arthur and Molly help yes, but they can't do everything. Nor should they have to. And you, you and Ginny. Ginny won't even talk to me for Godric's sake because I needed to get out of there. And you're having another baby. Harry, I need to move on. I can't always be Ron's widow. He's gone and I need to get on with my life. With our lives."

Harry sighed and moved to flop down on the sofa behind him, leaning his head down on his arms. "I just… Malfoy?!"

"Yes, Malfoy." Hermione said, moving to sit beside him. "It's not even for him Harry. His son, it's for Scorpius. It might do him some good and maybe if I can help prevent another Draco Malfoy from running around the halls of Hogwarts."

Her best friend chuckled at that but shook his head. "It's just… Draco."

"He seems different." She insisted. "I can't explain it. I mean, he has yet to call me a mudblood so that alone shows progress in his language skill set."

"'Mione."

"I'm serious though. I saw him, with Scorpius and it's just… there's something there. I know you're worried but please, just trust that I know what I'm doing."

Harry smiled sadly and ran his hand through his too messy hair before he finally nodded. "Right. You're right. Okay.. "

Hermione smiled. "Good. Now help me finish lunch before the kids decide to eat each other."

And just like that, the tension broke as the two best friends finished lunch and served their children. As Harry left that night, with a promise to not tell Ginny right away- a promise she was sure wouldn't last very long- she realized that what she had said to Harry was true. She _was_ accepting the job to take care of her children but she was also sure that _something_ had happened to Draco Malfoy to incite a change in the man. She just wasn't sure she wanted to know what.

* * *

Rose pressed her face further into Hermione's robes as they stepped out of the grate and into the large foyer of the Malfoy manor. Hermione had tried, as best she could, to explain to her children where they were going. She also, had tried to keep herself from fretting too much over their destination, a task she hadn't quite managed to achieve.

"Mummy?" Rose asked warily and Hermione moved them further into the foyer just as the sound of a door opening alerted them to someone's presence.

She turned to face the door just in time to see the house elf duck through and muttered for them to follow her. She shifted Hugo up higher on her hip and reached down to pry Rose's clenched fist from her robes, holding her daughters hand instead as they made their way through the large house. She tensed as they walked past portrait after portrait, all sneering at the trio that followed the house elf and she held her breath as she waited for one of them to explode. She wasn't quite sure her children would recover from that and she held them just a little bit tighter as they finally came to a stop outside a large door.

"These is your quarters." The elf said, bowing low enough to the floor that its nose scraped the stone. "Dippy will be your elf while you is here."

"Thank you Dippy." Hermione said kindly and the elf squeaked as she looked up at her before aptly disappearing.

"What was _that_ mummy?" Rose asked quietly and Hermoine smiled as the recalled the first time she had ever seen a house elf in the flesh.

"That was a house elf."

"You mean like Dobby?" Rose asked excitedly, no doubt thinking of the stories that her uncles regaled her with at every visit.

"Exactly llike Dobby, yes." She said and laughed as Rose looked around as though expecting Dippy to return.

Hermione let go of Rose's hand, noting that her daughter was far less frightened now than she had been before as they walked into the large suites. Hermione couldn't even contain her gasp as they stepped through the doors. The main room itself was easily large enough for their old house to fit inside and though she thought fondly of the little cottage she and Ron had shared before he left, she did know that with two children it would have been tight.

"Mummy, there's rooms!" Rose said excitedly as she threw open the door on the left and nearly squealed.

Hugo fought against Hermione's side and she set him down as he padded off quickly to find his sister. Hermione followed, gasping again as she caught sight of the magnificent children's room that was filled with various toys and two sweet little beds. Their small trunks had been deposited at the end of each bed and Rose was eagerly digging through hers until she found the tattered shirt and gently put it down on her pillow. Hermione bit back the tears that threatened her as she watched her daughter hold on to the piece of her father she had, carefully putting it on her bed as she did every other night.

Rose had been not yet two when the incident happened and for weeks afterwards she had cried for her father so much that in the end, Hermione had ended up wrapping her up in the shirt he wore to sleep in. It had worked and it had been Rose's comfort item ever since. Hermione had heard the horror stories of parents trying to tear loveys away from children to put in the wash but Hermione had never wanted to, afraid that it would either fall apart or lose whatever was left of her late husband's scent. She realized now that the years of wear were already having an effect and she, sadly, realized it might not be much longer before the shirt fell apart of its own volition.

"Mummy!" Hugo shouted as he watched the small replica of the Hogwarts express in the corner of the room, complete with smoke stack.

She smiled. "That's the Hogwarts Express. Someday you and Rose will take that train to Hogwarts."

Rose clapped excitedly, having already been well versed in the school by nearly every member of her family, both biological and adopted.

"My goggle!" Hugo shouted and Hermione laughed heartily at her son.

"Goggle?" She jumped as she turned to face Malfoy. "The door was open, I didn't mean to-"

"No, it's fine." Hermione said quickly. "He actually said 'My Goggle', it's… well it's his name for McGonagall."

"Oh…" Malfoy said and she could tell by the shift in his eyes that the conversation was quickly broaching territory that neither of them were quite ready to explore.

"We visit her, on occasion. Hugo is… obsessed with cats."

Hermione felt her eyes nearly bug out of her head as Draco Malfoy let out a laugh and she realized that it was the first time she had ever heard him laugh without it being at the expense of others. It was only then that she caught sight of the little blonde head peeking around Draco's robes and she smiled as she leaned a little to see him.

"Hello Scorpius."

"Hello Mrs. Weasley." The little voice said and Hermione breathed in as she flashed back to a voice that sounded eerily similar, talking about the 'wrong sort.'

"Please, call me Hermione." She said quietly and she glanced at Malfoy to see his brow furrowed before he turned to her.

"We came to make sure you were settled in and found your accommodations to your expectations." He explained.

"Oh, more than expected." Hermione said and then she lowered her voice. "You didn't have to go through all this trouble."

And despite her best efforts, she couldn't help keep the edge out of her voice as she thought of his taunts growing up. Of his opinions on the Weasley family and their hand-me-downs.

"I merely wanted your children to be comfortable here. Given… given your history in the manor, I wasn't sure if…"

"My children don't know any history of the manor." She said sharply, and he nodded curtly, clearly understanding the warning in her unspoken words.

"Hi!" Rose appeared suddenly beside her, pulling the two adults out of their conversation as she addressed the two Malfoys. "I'm Rose!"

The Elder Malfoy eyed his son who moved slightly behind his robes before he suddenly kneeled down, taking Hermione by surprise. "Hello Rose. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

He held out his hand and Rose eagerly put hers in his as he raised it up to gently kiss the back. Hermione rolled her eyes as her daughter giggled and the elder Malfoy stood up.

"Rose." Hermione said, drawing her daughters attention to her. "This is Mister Malfoy, he lives here and this is his son Scorpius."

"Hi Scor-Scorp…" she struggled.

"Scorpius." The little boy finally said and Hermione watched with a smile as he slid out of his father's robes and into view.

"Want to play?" Rose asked excitedly. "You can play with me. My brother Hugo is only a little baby and he doesn't play very nicely sometimes."

Hermione hid her laugh behind the back of her hand as she watched Rose grab Scorpius' hand and pull him into the room.

"She's like you, you know." Hermione started a little, having almost forgotten Malfoy's presence before she nodded in acceptance.

"She's also like her father…" She trailed off and she swore she saw his shoulder's stiffen out of the corner of her eye as the silence set in.

Finally, mercifully, he broke the silence. "Would you like a tour?"

She hesitated and her gaze drifted to the children.

"Dippy will keep an eye on them." Malfoy said as he followed her gaze. "It's a large manor and I would rather not spend all of my time making sure you aren't lost within its halls."

Hermione scoffed. "Well, when you put it that way…"

She could have sworn she saw the corners of his lips quirk up as he gestured for her to follow him and led them out of the suites.

 **A/N: Review! Please?!**


	4. Of Anger

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other recognizable works as much as I might wish that I did.**

 **A/N: I love every single review, follow, and favorite that I get. If I could give you all cookies I would! I want to take a moment to address something one reviewer pointed out (also, I love that you think about this enough to say something!) Scorpius did favor Hermione really quickly. I have spent many years working with children and have 6 of my own as well. Scorpius' character is loosely based on one of the little boys I cared for in the past who had selective mutism which occurred after a particularly rough period in his short little life. In the first few minutes of my meeting him, he had opened up to me and even now, years later, he still will call me just to chat. While it may not seem 'realistic' I promise it can-and does- happen and besides, who wouldn't love Hermione? Let me know what you think! I'm always open to ideas and the like!**

 **Chapter 4-Of Anger**

An hour later and Hermione was sure she hadn't seen even half of the sprawling estate.

True to his word, the drawing room that Hermione had dreaded had been closed when she passed and she would have ventured a guess that it was locked using advanced magic by the tingle in the air and way Malfoy's jaw clenched as they walked by.

By the time she returned to her suites, she was surprised to find that Rose and Scorpius were seemingly the best of friends. Nevermind the fact that her daughter seemed to be doing all of the talking while Scorpius merely nodded or went along wordlessly with whatever she had to say.

"She's going to lead him astray that one." Malfoy said and Hermione jerked her head around quickly and sure enough, a smile had spread across his face before he caught sight of her staring. "What? Don't think I don't know about all the trouble your lot caused in school."

Hermione reddened at the thought of everything she had done in her formative years before Malfoy straightened up. "Scorpius, let's leave them to get settled."

Scorpius stood up, taking notice of his father before he nodded solemnly and made his way over to the adults. Before she could react, or even think about it, Scorpius reached her and his arms wrapped around her legs, giving them a tight squeeze before he quickly left the suites, his father following closely behind. It was as he shut the door that Malfoy threw one last glance in her direction and she could have sworn he looked… sad.

* * *

Hermione woke with a stiff neck and groaned as she came face to face with her children, piled on top of her in some way or another. She sighed as she realized that old habits, did indeed, die hard before she pulled herself gently out of the tangle of red hair and little limbs and quickly found the bathroom as she prepared for the day.

By the time she returned, both children had moved so that they were wrapped up together. Hugo's head rested on Rose's chest and her arms were wrapped tightly around her brother as though she was protecting him even in sleep. She bit her lip and continued on, dressing in her robes right there in the room before she finally roused the children.

"Up, up you get," she said softly, reaching out to tickle Rose's belly before doing the same to Hugo.

"Hun-gy mummy," Hugo said with a giggle and Hermione nodded.

"Yes, of course you're hungry. Let's get up and get your robes on and we'll find something to eat."

"Hugo is always hungry," Rose sighed, rolling over to bury herself further into her mother's bed linens. "Hugo is always eating."

Hermione chuckled at that as the image of another redhead glutton came to mind and she shook herself as she tried to push the image of Ron with half a turkey leg hanging out of his mouth from her mind.

"Well, mummy is hungry too. Let's go see what we can find., She coaxed, pulling a now excited Hugo into her arms. "Better hurry up Rose or you're going to be left behind."

Rose was up in a flash, yanking her pyjamas off over her red curls and pulling her robes on as she followed behind her mother and brother as Hermione tried to hold back a laugh. Hermione took her time as she walked, trying to remember the natural flow of the manor as they exited the suites. She knew that Scorpius's room was directly opposite from their quarters and the room in which Hermione would be teaching the children was at the top of the stairs. She had only just peeked into it yesterday but knew just from that little look that materials wouldn't be hard to come by in the Malfoy home.

She continued down the stairs, waiting on the landing as Rose hopped down each one, before she kept on and finally reached the ground floor. Her shoes were loud against the stone floors and she couldn't remember if it had seemed this loud on her tour yesterday or not. The kitchen was one thing that Malfoy had not shown her but she followed the path she thought it might have been in the hopes that sooner or later she would either find it or a house elf would take pity on her and show her in which direction to travel.

"Er… Hermione?" She jumped as Draco's voice called from behind her and she turned to see him standing with his daily under his arm.

"Sorry, we didn't want to bother you, just looking for-"

"Hun-gy" Hugo called again, the sound echoing off the walls around them.

"Right.. we take breakfast in the dining room," Malfoy explained and he backed up to show the room they had passed only moments before.

"Oh, it's fine," Hermione said. "We can… I can make our own food."

"Nonsense," Malfoy said quickly and he opened the door wider even still and gestured for them to enter. "The food is already made."

Hermione felt her eyes narrow and her jaw tense and she had to keep herself from spitting out a biting remark as she wondered what he was playing at. "I don't feel it wise.."

She watched his brow furrow at her words and he looked down to the children before he spoke again. "Rose, Scorpius is just tucking into his toast, why don't you go help Hugo find a seat and your mother and I will be in shortly."

Rose looked up at Hermione with wide, careful eyes and Hermione had half the mind to tell her not to move but she felt her daughters hand tighten around her own and she swallowed it back as she nodded. She wanted to make this work, if only for Scorpius' sake and her daughter fearing Malfoy wouldn't help the situation. "Go on."

Rose smiled as Hermione set Hugo down and she watched as her daughter grabbed her brother's hand, pulling him into the dining room and Malfoy let the door shut infinitesimally as he moved to stand in front of her.

"Is there a problem Mrs. Weasley?" He asked tersely and Hermione nearly rolled her eyes. Of course they were back to last names.

"No. No problem," She shook her head. "I was simply wondering if this was your ploy all along. To get me here and discount my views in front of my children."

He had the courtesy to look confused as she hissed at him before finally, realization dawned. "You think… you think me offering your family breakfast is some sort of plot?"

"I think that you are well aware of how I feel about the treatment of House elves and as such you should know that I am perfectly capable of making my children something to eat."

Malfoy scoffed and Hermione clenched her fists at her sides. "Please Weasl… _Hermione_ , if you would take a moment and look around perhaps you would see that my house elves do not need your pity nor your promotion of their welfare."

"No, but perhaps not all of us are willing to blindly follow where we're told despite the cost to other living beings-" The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them and she saw the way he flinched back as though she had, once again, slapped him. "Malfoy-"

"Don't." He snarled and he moved forward so that his face was mere inches from her. "Don't you dare come into my home and speak of things of which you do not know. I have paid the price for my actions and my mistakes and I will not allow you to dredge them up in my place of living around my _child_."

She swallowed as he inched closer with each word until her back hit the wall behind her and her hand automatically went for the pocket in her robes in which she kept her wand. Her movement seemed to snap something in Malfoy and suddenly he backed up until she could no longer even see the whites of his eyes. "I'm going to work."

Before she could respond he had turned on his heel and disappeared around the corner. Hermione stood with her back against the wall, her hand clutching her wand, until she heard her daughters soft voice calling from the dining room. Straightening her shoulders she plastered a smile on her face and walked into the room, only to be met by the sight of Hugo covered in strawberry marmalade and despite everything, she couldn't help but smile.

* * *

The days passed quickly at Malfoy manor and Hermione soon got into a routine that worked with both her own children as well as Scorpius.

Rose continued to boss him around, but as the two grew closer, their dynamic began to change. Hermione would see Scorpius whisper things to Rose before the two would jot off to find their next adventure and with a pang she realized just how like her father Rose was becoming.

Scorpius also became attached to Hermione. Although he never hid in her robes as he so often did his father when Hermione had first met him, he began to seek her out during the day. When Hugo was napping and the older two children were occupied, Hermione often found herself seated near them with a book from the Malfoy library collection. It was during these times that Scorpius would often wander over and end up curled in her lap as she ran her fingers through his silky white hair. Malfoy would always return in the evening, sometimes well after dinner had passed, and would take over Scorpius' routine. Despite the growing relationship between herself and the little blonde haired boy, however,the elder Malfoy had yet to speak to her again since the morning after their arrival.

"Mummy…" Rose's voice drew her out of her stupor and she turned to see Scorpius pulling Rose towards her gently by the hand. It was comical, to Hermione, to see the two together. So close in age and in their new found friendship, yet so different in upbringing.

"Yes Rose?" She asked.

"Scorpius has never been to the park!" Rose exclaimed with wide eyes and Hermione had to laugh at the look on her daughters face. She was sure that muggle places such as the park were foreign to the Malfoy line and yet knew that this idea would be outrageous to her effervescent daughter.

"No!" Hermione gasped in mock surprise as Scorpius' eyes widened and he shook his head.

"It's true!" the little boy exclaimed with a nod.

"Well, I believe we should fix this," Hermione said fondly, reaching out to run her thumb down Scorpius' cheek before doing the same to Rose and tweaking the end of her daughter's nose, "let's go wake Hugo up and we can take Scorpius to the park."

The two children excitedly ran off while Hermione laughed behind them. "Dippy." She called and waited until the little elf appeared before her.

Having house elves at her beck and call had been something Hermione had had to come to grips with as well and though she tried to pretend otherwise, the thought of being in charge of someone other than her children made her feel rather odd.

"I'm taking the children out." She said. "If you want to tidy up while we're gone, you're more than welcome to-"

"Yes Miss Hermione, Dippy would love to clean up after you and the children!" The little elf nearly squealed and Hermione sighed at her enthusiasm. She had tried to keep things she asked the elf to do at a minimum out of principle but she had also wanted to visit Molly and Arthur before they left so she knew she would need help if she wanted to get everything done.

"Alright, if you're sure…" she hedged and the elf yelped again.

"Dippy is sure Miss Hermione." She said as she bowed again and Hermione sighed.

"Very well. I'll get the children then. Thank you Dippy."

The elf was trembling as she disappeared with a loud pop and Hermione shook her head and went to the find children, sure that she would never get used to that, no matter how long she stayed in the Manor.

* * *

"Oh Hermione!" Molly cried as she pulled the woman into her shoulder as Arthur kneeled down and Rose and Hugo ran into his arms. "We've missed you so much!"

"We've missed you too." Hermione said as she turned and held her hand out to the little blonde boy who stood behind. "Molly, this is Scorpius."

Hermione watched Molly take it in stride, never one to turn down a child she reached out and held her hands out. Hermione opened her mouth, ready to explain the boy's unwillingness to leave her side when Scorpius surprised her and reached out, giving the kindly woman a small hug.

Molly smiled at the boy and ran her hand over his blonde locks. "I've made biscuits, who wants one!"

All three kids excitedly followed the woman into the kitchen and Arthur stood up to pull Hermione in for a hug and into the house. She tensed as she breathed in the familiar scent of home but noted that it didn't quite bring the reaction that it had before.

"Are you alright?" Arthur asked, pushing the woman out to arm's length and she nodded.

"I'm fine Dad," she assured him and he smiled so broadly at her words and she realized that she really meant it.

Arthur nodded and pulled her into his side as they moved across the house and into the kitchen. All three children were seated at the table, large piles of biscuits in front of them and a glass of milk. Hugo was already halfway through his stack as Rose talked animatedly to her grandmother around a mouthful of sweet and Scorpius watched amusedly while nibbling on his.

Hermione laughed and moved to pick up her own cookie as the children spent time with their family. It wasn't until later, as the sun was going down and Hugo had fallen asleep on Arthur while Scorpius and Rose played with some of the toys in the corner, that she realized how late it had gotten.

"Are you sure you have to go?" Molly asked for the fifth time and Hermione nodded.

"I know. I'm sorry Mum. We'll write you while you're gone," she promised.

"Oh," Molly hiccupped. "Please do. I miss them so much."

"And they miss you." Hermione said as Scorpius leaned on her tiredly and Rose's talking all but stopped. "We really have to go though. Owl if you need anything at all!"

Arthur slung a comforting arm around his wife and Hermione smiled as she tossed the floo powder and disappeared into the green flames with the children clutching her robes.

As she slid into the fireplace at Malfoy manor, she didn't even notice the angry glare until it was too late.

"Where have you been?" Malfoy demanded and Hermione startled as she set Hugo on his tired feet.

"We went to the park and then to the Burrow to-"

"Did I tell you that you could take my son anywhere?" Malfoy seethed.

"He wanted to get out." Hermione said lightly and she felt Scorpius' hand in her robes slowly start to slacken. "He'd never been to a park and-"

"For a good bloody reason _Granger_." He snapped.

"Excuse me?" She retorted. "Since when do you get to revert back to that?"

"What?" He roared and he straightened up to his full height.

"To the arrogant arse who made my life a living hell." She snapped. "I haven't been Granger in ages and yet as soon as you like you pull it out. What next Malfoy? Going to try and hex me? Make me cry?"

Dippy appeared with a pop and Hermione nodded at the elf. "Is Miss Hermione needing help with the children?"

Hermione almost said no. She almost told the elf to leave her children be; when she turned to see Rose and Hugo's wide eyes on her she quickly changed her mind. "Yes, please Dippy. Could you take them to their rooms and I'll be there in a moment?"

The elf nodded and Hermione turned back to Malfoy as she heard the elf disappear.

"You don't get to do this Malfoy. I was doing my job…"

"By kidnapping my child." He screamed and she took a step back once again, despite her best efforts.

"I did no such thing." She argued.

"You took him from his home to that _place_ without so much as asking…"

"I didn't know I had to ask to leave. I didn't know I was a prisoner here, _again_."

"You are free to leave whenever you wish." Malfoy snarled and his meaning was so clear in that moment that she took a step forward, pulling up to her full height.

"Fine. My children and I will leave first thing. We'll never darken your doorstep again." She snapped and for a moment she thought she saw something register behind his thundery façade before it was quickly replaced with the anger she had spent years coming to associate with Draco Malfoy.

He opened his mouth, probably to tell her not to wait until morning when a little sob quickly shut his mouth. Hermione and Draco both turned with wide eyes to see Scorpius standing in the grate, his tiny hands rubbing his eyes.

"Oh scorp." Draco said and the softness in his voice surprised even Hermione as he stepped forward and the little boy backed into the fireplace away from his father as hurt splashed across Draco's features.

"Scorpius." Hermione said softly and the little boy met her eyes then and she stepped back, a gasp leaving her mouth as the same anger that had hardened Draco's face played across his son's small attributes.

"No!" the little boy shouted and Hermione saw Draco flinch away from the boy. "Shut up."

"Scorp." Draco said again, even softer this time as the little boy stomped his foot.

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" He screamed and his eyes tore from Draco's to Hermione's. "Stupid Mudblood."

Hermione's heart dropped as the sweet little boy she had come to love in such a short time screamed the foul name at her and tears quickly filled her vision as she turned on her heel and fled, ignoring Draco's plea to her as she quickly made her way up to her suites and slammed the door behind her.

 **A/N: Review!**


	5. Of Words

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Pride and Prejudice or any other recognizable works.**

 **A/N: Thank you so much for every follow, favorite and review! I love each and every one of them and am sending virtual cookies! Hope you like Oatmeal raisin! Ha! I hope this chapter explains some things for you all.**

 **Chapter 5-Of Words**

The children were asleep.

She was lying in bed, unable to get Scorpius' face out of her mind as he screamed at her and Draco's voice yelling at her after she absconded from the room.

She sighed as she moved out from under the mass of children and slid out of her bedroom and into the main room. She sat on the chaise, her gaze lingering on the painstakingly drawn pictures that Rose and Scorpius had presented her with a day previous.

She had just resigned herself to start packing up her things when a soft knock on the door pulled her away from it. Quietly she moved to the door and opened it just a crack, unsurprised to see Draco Malfoy standing before her in his pyjamas.

"Come with me?" He asked quietly, his voice rough.

She had half a mind to tell him no, but his red rimmed eyes and sad expression seemed to make her choice for her and she nodded before she could stop herself.

Together they walked down the halls and Hermione almost asked where he was taking her before they finally stopped. Malfoy opened the door, gesturing for her to go first as he held the heavy door open for her. She slowly walked into the room before she realized it was Malfoy's own rooms. The sitting room they were in was painted a rich navy color and in any other situation she might have laughed at the sheer irony of the Slytherin in a Ravenclaw colored room.

Malfoy passed her, moving to a small table in the corner and pulling a chair out, gesturing for her to sit. She did as asked as he sat down opposite her and conjured a tea kettle and two cups. Silently he poured her tea and she waited, only partially patiently, for him to finally speak.

"You are aware, I'm sure, that after the war we moved to Paris. My father was locked up and my mother couldn't stand to be in the manor without him. It was better, for all of us, to leave. So we did. I met Scorpius' mother there. Astoria Greengrass, she was Daphne's younger sister. The entire Greengrass family had fled to Paris shortly after our sixth year. They knew that things were getting bad and they also knew that they had the wealth, and the blood, to end up in a bad situation. So they removed themselves from it entirely." He took another drink of tea and swallowed, his eyes never leaving his cup before he continued. "Astoria was a breath of fresh air compared to what I had been living the past few years. She… she was a pureblood, and a completely _respectable_ match but she refused to follow orders. She rebelled. She wore muggle clothing and owned a television set. I had never met anyone like her and as such, I was smitten.

"We did things the proper way, for both her family and my mother, but neither of us wanted much of it at that point. We were just happy together. Or, I was happy. When Astoria became pregnant she seemed to change overnight. It only became worse after Scorpius was born. She refused to hold him, sometimes even look at him, and it only continued to deteriorate from there. Our midwitch was at a loss and I reached out to members of the muggle community. They said it was something called 'post partem depression' and I tried everything I could to get her the help she needed. Things were looking up, she started to open up a bit more and we settled into life as a family. She was never… Astoria was never happy. Looking back now I just didn't see the signs because it was about more than Scorpius for her. I thought a family was what she wanted when in reality, I think she just wanted out. Marrying into a good, pureblood family was what her family wanted for her. What I provided. However, she wanted… she wanted to be free of the confines altogether. Three years ago I awoke to Scorpius crying, Astoria was gone, I thought she had run to the market but after a day of waiting I realized she had left."

Hermione took a deep breath as her words from earlier came rushing back to her. Scorpius' scared face as he watched yet another woman he had grown close to threatening to leave him. "Oh no…"

"Scorpius was not right to use that _word_. I've already spoken with him on the matter and apparently he picked it up from one of Flint's children, but I wanted you to know why he might have felt the need _to_ use it." He met her eyes then, finally, and set his tea cup down. It was then she could see it in his gaze, the pain that only a parent would know as your child was hurting. Something she had had to deal with far too much on her own. "He's a good boy. He's not- He's not like me."

Hermione swallowed hard, "Draco-"

He looked up then, at the sound of his name leaving her lips and she surprised even herself as she reached over and laid her hand on top of his.

"He is a wonderful boy." She said quietly. "I have no doubt that he is or that he is wonderful because of you."

They sat in silence and finally Hermione pulled her hand away from his as she finished what was left of her tea. She didn't immediately move as she watched Draco Malfoy, his head bent over his tea cup. The moonlight filtered in through the high window, creating a glow around the man's white blonde hair and for a moment, Hermione forgot that this was her childhood bully sitting before her drinking tea. For just one moment, one fleeting second, she forgot every mean and hateful word he had ever spat at her as she watched him sit across from her quietly. And she wondered, briefly, why she had never noticed how _pretty_ Draco Malfoy had become. He had grown into his points and angles and had filled out his boyish figure. She kicked herself for staring as he looked up and met her gaze and she blushed as she realized she had been caught staring at him before she quickly looked back to her own tea cup.

"Do you ever wish you had paid more attention in Trelawney's class?" He suddenly asked and she looked up at him with a smirk.

"No."

He smirked back and nodded, leaning forward to set his cup on the table. "Me either…"

She laughed quietly to herself as she set her cup back down and cleared her throat, "I am sorry Malfoy, for taking Scorpius today without asking. I know how you feel about the Weasley's and I shouldn't have ignored that."

Draco shook his head, "Scorpius doesn't get out much. Not for a lack of want, but because I am...terrified. Something happened to my wife and I will do everything I can to protect my son. Still, if this is going to work, I need to trust that you will care for him and that you will protect him."

"I will," she said quickly and she saw the corner of his mouth quirk up slightly

"Just… don't give up on him." He pleaded, his gray eyes boring into hers with an intensity that made the hairs on the back of her neck prickle.

"I won't." She said quietly, her eyes never leaving his.

He nodded then and she moved to stand up, bidding him goodnight as she crossed the room to the door once more. It wasn't until she had reached it that he spoke again and she stopped at the sound of him calling her name. "You're wrong you know," he said quietly, "I'm starting to like a few of the Weasley's."

"They are pretty impossible not to like."

Malfoy nodded and his voice was quiet once more as he replied, "I'm beginning to find that their mother is too."

Hermione smiled then and turned, hiding the blush that was slowly creeping across her face as she headed back to her room.

* * *

Scorpius was already sitting at the table when she arrived the next morning and he looked up in surprise as Rose and Hugo bounded in, followed closely by Hermione.

"Good morning." Rose chirped as she took her usual seat beside the boy and Hugo sat down opposite his sister.

Hermione smiled to herself as Scorpius said hello but looked in confusion between the children and his father.

"Good morning to you Hermione." Malfoy said and she turned to smile at the man as he stood up as well. "I must be going, but I know Scorpius will be on his best behavior today."

Scorpius nodded frantically and Draco leaned over to ruffle the boys hair affectionately before he crossed the room toward Hermione.

"No field trips today I presume?" He asked, and though his tone was serious she could see the small hint of playfulness in his eye.

"Oh, I don't know. I was thinking maybe a trip to Bulgaria to learn about crumple horned snorkacks might be fun." She said lowly, matching his teasing.

She watched as he left, a small smirk playing on his lips as she moved to the table and sat down in the chair next to Hugo, directly across from Scorpius.

"Good Morning Miss Hermione." He said quietly and she watched as he looked up at her through his long blonde lashes.

"Good morning Scorpius," She said and she watched as he tensed slightly, waiting perhaps for the other shoe to drop, before she smiled and reached for the butter. "Did you sleep well?"

Before she could react the little boy had flown out of his seat and around the table, wrapping his arms around her midsection as he cried into her robes.

"I'm sorry," He said through broken sobs and she reached down to smooth his hair back. "I didn't mean it."

"I know." She said softly, moving to cup his chin with her hand. "I know that you didn't mean it and that you are a wonderful, sweet little boy. That word is hurtful, however and I don't want to hear you say it ever again, okay?"

"O-okay" He sniffled and he looked at her through his tears. "Please don't leave me."

She smiled as she reached down and pulled him into her lap, wrapping her arms tightly around him as she kissed the crown of his head. "Never."

* * *

Days turned into weeks and weeks into a month and slowly, Hermione seemed to find her niche in the Malfoy manor. The children flourished as she taught them and Scorpius and Rose grew closer by the day. It was only a matter of time before Rose decided that Scorpius needed to stay with her and Hugo and before long, the children no longer crawled in bed with her in the middle of the night. To say she wasn't disappointed would be a lie.

Instead of waking up to feet and elbows in the middle of the night, she began to wake up to nightmares. Dreams that started out innocently enough but soon led to the cold sweat, heart hammering wakefulness that meant she couldn't get back to sleep. On those nights, she would pull herself from the rumpled sheets and find her way to the library.

It was on one such night in early May that she found herself sitting in one of the high, wingback chairs that sat nestled cozily directly inside the doors of the room. Her feet were pulled underneath her and she had plaited her hair so as to keep the mess from obscuring her vision as she read.

"Hermione?" she jumped as she looked up to meet Malfoy's gaze and then smiled sheepishly.

"Yeah… I'm sorry, if I need to go-"

"No." the man said quickly, "I just didn't expect to see you. Are you, are you alright?"

"Fine." She nodded. "Well, I am now."

"Care to talk about it?" He asked and she watched as he pulled the other chair slightly closer and sat down on it. Even in the sanctuary of his own home, he still sat bolt upright as though attached to a stick.

"No-" she said sullenly, looking back down to her book. "I mean, it's not that I don't want to talk to you, I would just rather forget-"

"Ah-" Malfoy said earnestly. "I see. So, what have the children been learning this week?"

Hermione was bewildered for a moment but soon realized what Malfoy was trying to do and so she delved head first into the basic arithmetic and phonetics and the funny story of how Rose had managed to somehow convince Hugo to give her all of his fruits while she traded him for his vegetables. "Of course, I only found out because Scorp told me and-"

"Scorp?" Draco asked, his eyebrow raised.

"Oh. I'm sorry, I didn't even think that it might not be alright for me to call him that and it just-"

"Hermione." Malfoy said with a smirk. "It's fine. I'm glad that he's become so attached to you and you're so… fond of him."

"Oh I'm more than fond of him. I-" She said quickly but then stopped herself, looking down at his hand on top of hers as she bit her lip.

Draco smirked, "you're what?"

"I love him." She sighed. "He's impossible not to love. He's kind and compassionate and he always wants everyone to smile. And when he smiles he looks…"

She trailed off then and it was Malfoy's turn to smirk. "He looks what?"

"He looks like you." She felt the blush rise up in her cheeks and she sat back in her chair once more, happy to look anywhere but at Malfoy. Thankfully, the man seemed to recognize her reluctance and he said nothing else for the moment. When she finally looked up, he had made himself more comfortable in the chair beside her, his books spread across his lap, and she bit her lip to keep from smiling as she went back to reading the Jane Eyre novel in her lap.

The next night found her in the library once more but this time she was more alert and when Draco made his way in, she gave him a brief smile before turning back to her book.

"Another bad night?" He asked and she glanced up to meet his gaze before she quickly nodded.

In all honesty, she hadn't even tried to fall asleep and instead made her way to the library as soon as she had confirmed that all three children were sound asleep.

"What are you reading?" His voice was low and close and she looked up to see that he had moved his chair closer even still.

"Pride and Prejudice…" She said softly. "It's a muggle-"

"I know Jane Austen." He said quickly with an amused look.

"Really?"

"Don't be so surprised." He huffed, sitting back in his chair.

"Well, it's just that…"

"My mother is fond of her books." He said, and this time she saw the slight tilt of his head forward, the way he looked intently down at the work on his lap.

"My mother was too." Hermione finally said with a soft sigh and he looked up at her then with a small, sad smile and she realized that it was the first time she had seen Draco Malfoy for someone other than the presumptuous prat he had been at Hogwarts, and with a jolt she realized, she kind of liked it.

* * *

"I promise he's not here Harry." Hermione laughed at her friend who looked at her with a guilty expression. "He's not due back until tomorrow and I'm not setting you up."

Harry smiled sheepishly as he reached over to grab another tea sandwich off the tray. "I know, and I'm sorry, I am it's just… it's Malfoy manor. Can you really blame me?"

She rolled her eyes and shook her head at her friend as they sat on the patio off of the east wing of the house. She could see over the entire large yard from her position where the children were all playing with small broomsticks amicably. She was glad that Rose had taken such a liking to Scorpius but when Malfoy had announced that he was taking Scorpius out for the weekend, she hadn't hesitated to make plans with Harry, eager for Rose and Hugo to spend time with their cousins.

"It was difficult to get used to at first but now I don't think of it any differently. Draco didn't want anything that happened here anymore than we did…" Her eyes widened as she realized her mistake and Harry turned on her then, his eyes narrowed.

" _Draco_? Really Hermione, you're on a first name basis with him now?"

"No." She protested. "I just… I think it's childish to continue to harbor such ill will towards him when he's obviously made amends. I mean, you testified at his trial for Merlin's sake!"

She left out the part where she had been spending every night in the library with him for the past month, not wanting to give Harry any more reason to hex Malfoy than he already felt he had.

"Yeah, yeah." He finally grumbled, shoving another sandwich in his mouth.

"Is Ginny not feeding you now?" Hermione teased as she took a drink of her pumpkin juice.

"She's ill." Harry said and then quickly amended at the look on Hermione's face. "No, no, I mean, everything is making her nauseous. It was never like this with Jamie or Al. She's having a rough go of it."

Hermione smirked. "I bet it's the girl she's been wanting."

"You think?" Harry perked up.

Hermione nodded. "I remember with Rose, I couldn't keep anything down except for licorice wands and pumpkin seeds. I swear, Ron special ordered them into the joke store with the way I went through them…"

Hermione watched as Harry's face fell slightly and she sighed as she reached over, pulling his hand into her lap and lacing their fingers together.

"How do you do it?" Harry finally asked, watching the children play in the grass. "I have Ginny and James and Al but it's like… everything hurts still. When I want to talk to him and he's not there…"

"Oh Harry." Hermione said sadly and she felt the hot prick of tears in her eyes. "It hurts me too. Every day. Rose and Hugo, look so much like him and they won't remember him. I wish he were here so very much but… he's not."

"I was there." Harry said quietly and Hermione tensed. It was the first time Harry had ever openly spoke of that day. "It should have been me."

"But it wasn't." Hermione said and she smiled at her friend, hoping to convey that she felt no ill will towards him at all.

Harry opened his mouth to protest just as the heavy door behind them opened and Malfoy stepped out.

"Potter." He drawled and though Hermione had seen the look of surprise on his face, it quickly vanished.

"Malfoy." Harry said, shooting Hermione a look out of the side of his eye.

"I thought you were gone until tomorrow…" Hermione said uneasily as she wondered how quickly she could get to her wand if the two men couldn't behave civilly.

"We were to be." Malfoy said, addressing only her now and she couldn't help but notice that his voice wasn't as rough as it was when he was speaking with Harry. "But Scorpius has taken ill. He is in bed now but he was asking for you."

"Oh." Hermione said.

"I know it is your weekend off, so if you wish…"

"No." Hermione stood up quickly. "I'll go right now. Harry, I'm…"

"Don't worry about it." Harry said. "We should get back anyway. Thank you again Hermione."

Harry stood to his feet, pulling his friend against him in a tight hug as he kissed her forehead and then turned to call to his boys as she hurried down the corridor and up the stairs to Scorpius' room. It was only as she reached the little boy's room that she realized she should have stayed and made sure the men didn't hex each other before Harry could leave.

 **A/N: Harry is still being standoffish but all in due time my friends. Please tell me what you think! I LOVE hearing it!**


	6. Of Apologies

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other recognizable work.**

 **A/N: Huge thanks to HufflepuffMommy who was my sounding board on all things Dramione. She's awesome and if you want a fluffy dramione story for the Mature audiences ((ahem)) you should definitely go read some of her things. Just... don't forget about me.**

 **Chapter 6: Of Apologies**

The stomach flu made its way through the Manor and Hermione felt like time had barely gone by before two weeks had passed. She had snuggled and cuddled every child and cleaned more vomit than she cared to admit and finally, she was thankful that it seemed to have passed. She hadn't sat with Malfoy in the library since before he and Scorpius had left for their trip and although she hated to admit it, she missed it. She told herself it was the fact that most of her days were spent with the three children and a steady stream of house elves and that her yearning to see Malfoy again had less to do with him and more to do with her lack of adult conversation. She hoped that, once the children were well, they would be able to get back into the routine they had seemed to form before the sickness had swept through the house.

That is, until she woke up on the Friday before her weekend off with a pounding headache and chills that seemed to rattle her bones. She groaned as she forced herself out of bed and got the children dressed for the day before following them unsteadily down to the dining room.

"Hermione?" Malfoy asked as she came into the room, holding on to the door frame for support, and he stood up and crossed the room.

His long, slender hand reached up, resting on her forehead as she moaned in pleasure from the cool touch of his hand.

"You're burning up." He said finally and she shook her head, pulling away from him.

"I'm fine."

"No." He said softly, reaching out to grasp her upper arm. "You're really not. _Dippy_."

"Yes Master?" Dippy asked as she appeared at his feet. "Oh, Miss Hermione doesn't look well."

Malfoy gave Hermione a pointed look, "See, even the elf knows it." He smirked. "Go fetch some pepper up potion while I help Hermione back to her bed. Then keep an eye on the children until I return, please."

The elf nodded before disappearing quickly and Hermione swayed a little on her feet at the too fast movement.

"I'm fine." She said again but this time she closed her eyes, willing the word to stop moving for a moment.

Before she could react, her feet had flown out from under her and she opened her eyes to find herself pressed against Draco's solid body, his arms wrapped around her back and under her knees as he carried her out of the dining room.

"I have to-" She tried to push away from the man who shook his head as he kept walking. "I have to take care of the children."

"I can care for the chidren." Draco said quietly and he met her eyes briefly before looking ahead once more. "What good are you for them if you're sick?"

She wanted to argue but really, logic dictated that he had a point and she sighed instead as he carried her up the stairs and into the suites that she had grown used to.

"The children will be fine." He said firmly as he settled her on her bed and she slid underneath the covers, pulling them up to her chin. "Dippy will bring you some potion but until then, you should rest."

She blinked slowly, trying to keep her suddenly too heavy eyelids from closing before she slowly began to drift off to sleep. It was as she was suspended in the half awake, half asleep state, that she could have sworn she felt his hand smoothing back the hair from her face as his soft voice whispered in her ear. "Feel better Hermione."

* * *

When next she woke the sun was just setting and she worriedly realized she had slept through the entire day. She sat up, noting that she felt weak but that the dizziness had seemed to subside, before she slowly slid out of bed.

She crept down the hall and the stairs as she heard the voices coming from the small study that Malfoy often worked in and she slowly opened the door, smiling at the scene before her. Malfoy was sitting on the floor, his hair a mess and in pajamas, with Hugo situated on his lap. Rose was on his left side, tucked under his arm as Scorpius lay on the chair behind him, his legs over the edge. They were, from what she could tell, reading a book and she watched quietly from her spot in the doorway.

"And someone has been sleeping in my bed- and they're still there." Draco read and Rose huffed from beside him.

"You forgot to do the wee baby voice." She argued and he smirked at her.

"No I didn't."

"Yes you did Dad." Scorpius supplied from behind him.

Draco sighed. "Fine." He took another breath and the next voice out of his mouth was high pitched and ridiculous sounding as he repeated the line and the children laughed. "Better?"

"Much." Rose said smugly and Draco looked down at her in amusement before he reached over and tickled her tummy.

She watched as her daughter squealed in amusement and Hugo took his turn in tickling his sister and despite herself, she let out a laugh. Almost instantaneously the laughter subsided as four pairs of eyes turned to her and three happy children bounded over to her.

"Mummy!" Rose squealed as Hugo fought to be the first to reach his mother.

"Miss Hermione!" Scorpius yelled happily and she bent down to let all three of them into her arms.

"If I knew I would get this reaction I would have spent a day in bed long ago." She laughed as she looked up to meet Draco's gaze.

"A day? Hermione, you've been in bed for four days." He said and she gasped.

"What?"

"The flu seemed to hit you the hardest, the mediwitch said-"

"You called a mediwitch?" She asked in disbelief.

"Your fever wouldn't break.. you were.. you were delirious. I floo'd St. Mungos and they sent someone out." Malfoy explained.

"Oh." She said dumbly as she slowly pulled herself out of the children's grips to stand up. "Well, I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" Draco asked, his eyebrows knit in confusion. "Why in Salazar's sweet… _pants_ would you be sorry?"

"Malfoy, you watched my children for four days." She sighed and she looked down to her children." I hope you behaved."

Rose nodded and Hugo laughed as she looked back up to Malfoy.

"Well, actually… I had some help."

Before she could ask, the door swung open and Hermione felt her jaw go slack as Ginny Potter walked in, carrying a tray of food in front of her. The redhead looked up, noticing Hermione for the first time as she set the tray down and smirked. "About damn time you woke up."

* * *

Ginny sat on the toilet seat as Hermione soaked in the tub. The young witch hadn't wasted any time as she pushed her friend towards the bathroom and drew her a bath, helping her to wash her hair. It was the second time Ginny had ever had to help her, the first being in the days following Ron's death, and she had never been more thankful to the woman she called sister.

"So I'm sitting there, washing Pumpkin Pasties out of Harry's robes and suddenly Draco Malfoy's head is in my fireplace."

"Did you scream?" Hermione asked with a smirk.

"No. I threatened him of course but he just said 'Hermione is ill' and I said 'I'm on my way' I wasn't sure what to expect but… you scared me."

"He said I was delirious." Hermione said quietly.

Ginny nodded. "You were… you were talking to Ron. It was like you were reliving the last few days… anyway, he said he was calling the mediwitch and I let him and then I took over caring for the kids."

"I hope Rose and Hugo didn't give you such a hard time."

"No, of course not. They love Aunt Ginny. And Scorpius was a real love too. He is definitely not like his father…"

"Wait, Scorpius? Why did you take care of Scorpius?"

Ginny looked at Hermione like she had grown three heads. "Because Malfoy wouldn't leave your side. I had to practically carry him out today so he could shower and eat."

Now it was Hermione's turn to give Ginny a look and the other witch continued. "I swear to Merlin, the mediwitch came and dosed you up and left some potion that you had to take every hour or so. He didn't leave. I had to bring him food and then when I came back to check and he hadn't eaten, I had to threaten him, again, just to get him to pick up the spoon."

Hermione laid her head back against the porcelain tub, the cool slick surface seemingly working as an anchor as her head spun, this time not from the flu.

"Anway, I'm glad that he called me." Ginny said quietly and Hermione glanced at her from the corner of her eye. "I wanted to say that… well I'm sorry."

Hermione smiled at her friend and reached out wordlessly, letting the witch grab her hand.

"I lost my brother but you lost your husband, the father of your children… I shouldn't have-" she sighed. "When you said you had to leave, I took it personally. I'd like to say it was the hormones but- but in all honesty I think I was just terrified of losing you too."

"Oh Ginny." Hermione said, squeezing the woman's hand softly. "You'll always be my sister."

Ginny laughed wetly and reached out from her spot beside the tub to wrap her arms around Hermione. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too!" Hermione admitted.

Ginny laughed, "I was going to come apologize anyway, after Harry came over, I just realized that I need you too much to push you away. Besides, Harry is driving me _crazy_."

Hermione laughed as Ginny launched into the tale of Harry's disastrous day of watching the boys and just like that, it seemed everything had smoothed over between the two women. As Ginny helped Hermione out of the tub and back into her room, Hermione couldn't help but think how much she had missed her too.

* * *

"No!" Hermione rushed out of her room just as Rose came out of hers, tears streaming down her freckled face.

"What's wrong Rose?" Hermione asked her daughter as Hugo trailed behind her looking worried.

"It's gone!" Rose wailed and flung herself at Hermione just as the door opened hurriedly and Draco popped his head in.

"Wha-Rose…" Hermione said firmly, pushing her daughter back to look into her tear stained face. "What is wrong?"

"My shirt is gone!" Rose said again and Hermione felt her heart plummet as she started to piece things together.

"What's wrong?" Draco asked as he uneasily moved into the room and Scorpius followed looking as equally worried as Hugo did.

"No, no, no." Hermione rushed out, passing Rose as she made her way to the children's room. It was spotless and Hermione realized, with a start, that it hadn't been this clean before she had fallen ill. "Dippy!"

The elf appeared just as Malfoy came into the room, his face a mixture of anger and concern "Can you please tell me why you all are yelling in my home?"

"Not now Malfoy." Hermione said bluntly before she turned on the elf and tried to calm herself down. "Dippy, you cleaned the children's room while I was ill?"

"No." the elf said, "Dippy has not touched things…"

"Hermione-" Draco said.

"Dippy, did you come in here and clean?"She asked again, disregarding the man behind her only for a moment before she felt his hand grip her upper arm.

"Hermione, it wasn't Dippy." He said firmly and she finally turned to look at him. "It was me."

She gaped at him and he looked apologetic. "I didn't know it would offend you, I thought- I thought it might help. I simply tidied up…"

"No, that's not-" She started before she took a deep breath. "There was a shirt, somewhere in here. Red, flannel, muggle attire. Did you see it?"

Draco looked around, and finally nodded, crossing the room in a few easy steps and opening the wardrobe. "I saw it, I wasn't sure what it was but thought since it was a shirt, I thought it would belong in here."

Hermione gasped as he pulled the shirt out of the drawer and held it out just as Rose flew into the room and yanked it swiftly out of his hands, sounds of the shirt tearing yet again as she pulled it to her face.

Draco looked utterly confused and Hermione breathed out heavily before she leaned against the wall behind her. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry Dippy."

"It is no bother to Dippy, Miss Hermione." The elf said before disappearing.

"I'm afraid I don't understand." Malfoy said quietly and she looked up to see him looking at Rose curiously.

"It- it was Ronald's." Hermione said. "After he passed, Rose would start crying until she could hardly breathe. It was the last shirt he had worn before… anyway, I wrapped her up in it and she stopped crying. She's held on to it ever since, can't sleep without it."

Realization dawned on his face and he looked back to the scene before him. "I didn't mean-"

"I know." Hermione said quickly. "I- I'm embarrassed to say that a few months after he had been gone I kind of- well I lost it. I got rid of most of his things before Harry and Ginny found me. The shirt is the only solid thing we have left of him…"

Draco nodded his understanding. "I shouldn't have interfered, I only wanted to help."

Hermione looked at him then and saw that he was genuinely worried, she smiled as she reached out and grasped his hand, ignoring the way he twitched as though about to pull away as she gave his hand a squeeze. "I know, and thank you. For everything."

* * *

Hermione walked slowly to the library, seeing the door open ajar already and she hesitated. She had been waiting until she was sure that she wouldn't fall asleep in the chair while reading and now that her strength and her energy seemed to have returned, she was finding it rather difficult to decide just what in Godric's name she was doing.

"Hermione?" she jumped as she looked up to meet Malfoy's gaze and then smiled sheepishly.

"Yeah… I'm sorry, I didn't want to bother you or-"

"No." Draco said quickly and he moved to stand up from his chair. "Come in."

She nodded as she entered and sat down in her usual chair as Draco settled back down into his. She picked up her book, opening it to the last page she had been on as her eyes took in the words but her brain continued to puzzle over the man beside her. She looked up over the top of her book, watching him as he read the book in his lap diligently.

It was then that she took the time to study him. She hadn't been wrong in her assessment from before, that he had managed to grow into his pointiness. But it seemed that the years had done more than just help Draco Malfoy fill out his angles. His mouth was no longer perpetually set in the hard, thin line she had become accustomed to seeing. His chair was now moved so close that their knees were nearly touching and it allowed her to see that his lips were turned down at the corners as he studied the page before him. She moved up his face, taking in the soft glow of his skin until she reached his eyes and she breathed in sharply as she saw his grey eyes staring directly at her.

He smirked as she met his gaze and her face became hot as she quickly looked away, trying to figure out where the hell she was in the paragraph beneath her thumb before she finally sighed and closed her book, turning her eyes back to the man before her.

"Like what you see?" He asked and she found herself smiling at his arrogant tone. _This_ was the Draco Malfoy she knew.

"You wish." She retorted and she saw the corner of his lip twitch before he looked back up to meet her gaze.

He stared at her for what felt like forever before he finally chortled and shook his head, turning his attention once more to his book.

"Draco…" She said quickly, before the words could percolate in her head and before she lost the nerve to say them. "Ginny told me… about when I was sick. I just wanted to say thank you."

He looked at her then, his eyes narrowed slightly, and for a moment she thought he would deny it before he finally groaned under his breath. "Blabbering She-Potter."

Hermione laughed, the sound surprising even herself. "Ha. She'll love to hear that."

"No." Draco said quickly. "That's not what I- Don't-"

Hermione raised an eyebrow, leaning forward in her chair ever so." Are you scared of Ginevra Potter, Draco?"

Draco swallowed and she saw him inch forward in his chair so that his lips were near her ear as he looked guiltily around the room before he whispered throatily , "I believe I am, yes."

She never really knew who made the first move then, nor would she ever, as she turned her head and found their lips pressed together, her hands around his neck as she pulled him closer and closer still. He moaned against her mouth and she finally pulled away, her hand going up to her lips as her eyes nearly popped out of her skull and he stood up, running his hand through his long blonde hair.

"Draco, I'm-"

"I shouldn't have-"

They both started at the same time. Hermione smiled wryly and stood up, holding the book tightly in front of her.

"I should go." Draco suddenly said and before she could answer he had turned and all but ran from the room, leaving his things behind.

She watched the door until the sound of his footsteps had disappeared before she too, left the room, her hand absent mindedly tracing her lips.

 **A/N: Eh?**


	7. Of Masterminds

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other recognizable works.**

 **A/N: Sorry guys! I wish I had a great excuse for this being so late but honestly I don't. I've been feeling crummy lately and haven't done much of anything productive. Unless you count binge watching Call the Midwife and izombie "productive" Anyway, here it is and I hope you enjoy it. Also, A/N at the end.**

 **Chapter 7-**

"Pass the jam please?" Hermione asked and Draco looked up before quickly looking back down and handing her the jar of jam, careful to avoid her touch.

She sighed as she accepted the jar and set to work smearing it on her toast as Draco pushed up from the table.

"I should get going." He said quietly and he leaned over to kiss the top of Scorpius' head before he turned on his heel.

Hermione debated for half a second before she quickly followed after him, smiling at the kids as she left the room. "Draco, wait!"

She saw him stiffen as he came to a stop and ever so slowly, turned around. "Yes?"

"Can we talk about this?" She asked.

Draco sighed, hanging his head as he reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "No, I don't think so."

He made to turn and Hermione reached out, grabbing him much the same way he had her the night before. "Draco."

He turned on her then, moving close enough that she could feel his warm breath fanning across her face. "What? What do you want me to say?"

"Draco-" She said again, louder this time and he leaned forward. She could smell him and it made her pulse quicken and her thoughts race.

"Do you want me to say it was a mistake? Do you want me to point out all the reasons I shouldn't have kissed you? Do you want an apology?"

"No, I-"

"Forget it happened." He said lowly and for a moment, the old Draco flashed in his eyes. The one she had known long ago, the one she had slapped, the one who had called her names, the boy who had left her in tears at times with one simple word. As quickly as he appeared, he was gone and Hermione saw the sadness in his eyes increase tenfold.

"I can't." she said honestly.

"Why?"

"Because I don't want to." And this time, she was sure it was her who had made the first move.

He was still under her lips at first and she pressed herself against him, her fingers tangling in the hair at the nape of his neck, until finally he responded. He pressed back with vigor, his lips moving in synch with hers before his tongue darted out, licking her bottom lip as it sought entrance and before she could think on it too much, she let him.

They were breathless when they broke apart and Hermione rested her forehead against his chest as she fought to control her heart rate as she listened to the same, quick thump of his beneath her head.

"We can't." He said finally and she looked up at him quickly, noting the same sadness in his eyes.

"Draco-"

"I can't." He said finally, shaking his head as he pulled away. "Not with you."

And before she could respond he had pushed away, leaving her standing dumbfounded and heartbroken in his wake.

* * *

She waited in the library that night for hours until her eyes battled to stay open and the pit in her stomach had filled with lead because she knew he wasn't coming. By the time she had fallen to sleep, the nightmares were almost too much to bear.

She continued teaching the children, placing him out of her mind as much as she could she worked with Hugo to say more than the few words she could coax out of him as Scorpius and Rose worked on their lessons. It seemed she was doing a good job of pretending that Draco's rejection hadn't stung to her core, and every night she found herself waiting in the library until she returned to her room to succumb to the nightmares.

Draco's time spent at the manor shortened as well and soon she began to see Scorpius withdraw into himself and her heart broke for the little boy. So it was two weeks later that she found herself outside of Draco's bedroom, warring with herself on what she was about to do. Her hand was poised to knock as she worried her bottom lip just as the door opened.

"Hermione." Draco said, looking at her in surprise. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes." She said quickly, "Well, no. Actually, it's not."

"What's wrong?"

Hermione groaned as she stepped back, pinching the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger. "It's you."

"Beg your pardon?"

"That came out wrong." She said quickly. "Look, what happened…"

"Don't." He said, his eyes dangerous and Hermione stepped back slightly before she remembered the sad little face that morning at breakfast.

She straightened her shoulders as she stepped forward, her posture rigid and her stare firm. "No Draco. You don't get to do this. Whatever prejudices you still have against me, fine. If you're horrified about what happened between us, I won't fault you for that either. But you don't get to pull away from Scorpius. If you want me to leave just say so, but I will not stand by and watch that little boy break."

Draco gaped at her and she swallowed, waiting for his biting remark but it never came. She stood there in complete silence until her jaw hurt from clenching her teeth so hard before she turned on her heel and marched off, not looking back once.

* * *

"You did what?!" Ginny stared slack jawed at the witch in front of her and Hermione groaned, resting her forehead on the tips of her fingers.

"I know." She finally said and looked over to where all of the children were playing in the grass.

Hermione had been wary to tell Ginny about the kisses she had shared with Draco. Not wanting to make her sister-in-law feel as though Hermione was trying to forget her brother. However, after the recent turn of events she wasn't sure she had any other choice. After she had accosted Draco she had retired to her room only to wake in the morning to a note from Draco stating that he didn't wish for her to leave but that he had taken Scorpius for the day. In the week since he had been spending more one on one time with Scorpius but Hermione hadn't seen him at all. She even sat in the library every night, despite how pathetic it made her feel. She hated to admit it, but talking to Ginny was part frustration and part desperation.

"Why though?" Ginny asked as she picked up a pickle and cheese sandwich and spread some honey on top.

"I don't- I don't know." Hermione answered honestly. "It's…complicated."

Ginny sighed as she set her knife down and looked at her friend. "It's only as complicated as you make it."

Hermione scoffed. "You sound like your mother."

"Yes, well, she's been known to be right sometimes." Ginny laughed. "Jamie, if I see you hit your brother with that quaffle one more time-"

Hermione shook her head and swirled her cooling tea around the cup. "He's different Gin. I mean, he's still Malfoy. But, when we were in the library together he was thoughtful and kind. He listened to me talk and he talked with me in return. Like a- friend. But it was more than that. I guess I just thought-"

She trailed off as her cheeks pinked and her tongue tied. She had been about to say that she thought there might have been something there, but Ginny was looking at her with eyes so like Ron's that even admitting it felt like she was being disloyal to her late husband.

"Hermione." Ginny said firmly. "I'm going to tell you this and I'm only going to say this once and if you repeat it, I swear I will hex you from here to Romania and my mum can bring you back and I'll hex you again. When you were ill, you were talking to Ron but it wasn't Ron you were talking to. It was Draco. You were telling him that you loved him, that you missed him, that you hated him for leaving and Draco was just taking it. He kept telling you that he was sorry and that he wished things had been different. I only overheard because the man wouldn't leave your side for a second. But Hermione, it wasn't out of pity or guilt that he stayed… "

"I don't-"

Ginny shook her head before she continued. "He stayed because he cares for you in some capacity. And honestly, I can't imagine how you feel, I really can't. But Ron has been gone for three years, and I knew my brother Hermione. He would want you to be happy, even if it meant you running off with Argus Filch or something."

Hermione gagged at that, and Ginny laughed as she reached over to grab Hermione's hand. "All I'm saying is that if you feel something for Draco, don't downplay it to me because you think it will hurt me _or_ because you think you're being unfaithful to Ron. James Sirius Potter, what did I say?"

Ginny rounded on her son then and Hermione laughed as she watched Ginny pull the boy aside to talk to him about being kind to his brother and cousins. She chewed on her bottom lip, wondering not only how Ginny had somehow become the voice of reason, but also about everything that had happened in the past five months. If, months ago, someone had told her she would be sitting on the grounds of Malfoy manor, talking about kissing Draco Malfoy, she would have laughed in their face.

"It doesn't matter anyway." Hermione said as Ginny sat back down in her chair. "He's completely avoiding the situation. Avoiding me."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Oh, you poor sweet child, I obviously have so much to teach you."

"Huh?"

"Do you remember when we were younger and I had the biggest crush on Harry Potter but he was completely blind to me because I was his best friend's little sister?"

"I believe I spent an entire summer listening to you bemoan this fact, yes." Hermione said.

Ginny smiled conspiratorially "Well, I spent a year dating boys in his year and now I'm married to that boy and we have two children and one on the way. I think if anyone can figure out how to help you gain Draco Malfoy's attention it's me."

Hermione listened as Ginny prattled on, eager to get to planning, and although Hermione couldn't help the dread that happened to settle in her stomach as she listened to Ginny eagerly lay out her idea, she also couldn't have been more grateful for the woman that was her sister.

* * *

Hermione exhaled deeply as she walked up to Draco's closed study door. It was a place she had only been on the occasions that she had given him progress reports on Scorpius' learning. Then, she had been eager to tell him everything that Scorpius had been learning and accomplishing in their time together. Now, however, she was executing a well thought out plan by her sister-in-law and she thought she might vomit on the marble floor.

She raised her hand, knocking twice, and listening to the silence that seemed to stretch on on the other side before she finally heard Malfoy call from the other side. "Come in."

Unsteadily she reached out and opened the door, willing her nerves at bay as she stepped into the room.

Draco had stood up behind his desk at her entrance and she realized at once that he wasn't alone. The man that sat before him was familiar, at least, so she didn't feel so worried that she had interrupted something important, and surely, if a meeting with Blaise Zabini this late in the evening was more than a friendly visit, he would have told her to come again another time.

"Mrs. Weasley." Draco said and Hermione had to fight the urge to correct him as she nodded once at him and then at Zabini.

The man hadn't changed much since Hogwarts. In school she had known that he had run with Draco Malfoy and had spouted his ideals about blood purity and lineage to his fellow Slytherins. However, at the battle of Hogwarts, Zabini had been one of the few who had stepped forward and had fought alongside his fellow peers, alongside Harry Potter. Though she couldn't be quite sure, she almost wondered if all his bluster back then had been a ruse.

"Hello, Mrs. Weasley." Blaise said and he smiled as he stepped forward offering her his hand. "It is a pleasure to see you again. I was very sorry to hear of your husbands passing. He meant so much to the wizarding world."

Hermione swallowed and looked away as Malfoy cleared his throat roughly, and though she was sure it was more out of discomfort of her presence, she was glad for the interruption.

"Did you need something?" Malfoy asked and Hermione nodded as Blaise let go of her hand to move back to his chair and Malfoy sat back down.

"Yes, sorry, I was just making sure that you were still planning on taking the weekend off?" she said and for once the nerves she had at the entirety of Ginny's plan worked in her favor.

"Yes, I didn't plan on working…" Malfoy started, his brow furrowed as he stared up at her.

Hermione continued quickly so as not to lose her courage- some Gryffindor she was turning out to be. "I only ask because I intend to be gone late Friday evening."

"Oh." Malfoy said before he cleared his throat. "Do you have plans?"

Hermione smiled this time and nodded. "I, uh, have a date actually."

Malfoy stared at her and for a moment she thought maybe Ginny was right, before his face became the same composed mask it always was, seemingly unfazed by her announcement. "And your children? Will they be staying with their cousins?"

"Harry and Ginny have plans so Neville has said he would watch them for me actually."

Draco nodded and picked up the glass that sat on his desk, taking a long pull from the amber liquid. "Why not just leave them with me?"

She paused at that, her eyes flickering to Blaise who seemed to be highly amused by something as he stared hard at Draco from across the desk. It hadn't been part of the plan. Neville had agreed to watch the children while she went on her date but she also had planned on returning to Neville's to stay the evening with them.

"If they stay here they can sleep in their own beds. As I'm led to believe, Scorpius has moved a bed in their room as well? It would be hard on him to sleep in the room alone."

She swallowed, realizing he had a point before she nodded. "Of course. I think that would be fine."

Draco nodded. "Then it's settled. Was that all you needed?"

"Y-yes." She stammered. "Thank you."

She nodded at Draco and then at Blaise who stood up once again before she hurriedly left the room to floo Ginny. She only hoped the witch would tell her she hadn't ruined everything.

* * *

"You look pretty mummy." Rose said as Hermione finished the last touches of her hair and makeup. She had spared no expense tonight, having used nearly a whole bottle of Sleekeasy's on her head.

"Thank you Rose." She said as she pushed one of the curls she had left loose back into position and finished her lipstick.

"Do you have to go?" Scorpius asked and Hermione turned with a smile.

"I'm sorry Scorp. I do." She sighed as she moved to where all three kids sat on her bed.

She had told the children she would be going out that night and while Rose had been excited at the prospects of getting away with more when her mother wasn't around, and Hugo hadn't seemed to mind either way, Scorpius had seemed to take it hard.

"Remember though, I will be back before you know it." She said, leaning over to kiss his white blonde hair before doing the same to Rose and Hugo. "Now, off you get."

The kids all giggled as she shooed them out of her room and she grabbed her shoes before she followed them out into the sitting room of their suite. She nearly gasped when she was met with Draco Malfoy standing from where he had been sitting on her sofa and her date quickly doing the same.

"Hermione." Cormac McLaggen smiled broadly at her and for a moment she thought about killing Ginny herself before she quickly remembered to smile back.

He crossed the room and handed her the flower in his hand, and though it was slightly wilted and a touch on the brown side, she kept smiling and thanked him for the gift.

"I made reservations at eight for a nice little restaurant in Muggle London." The man said and though she wasn't, she could tell he had meant to impress her.

"Alright, just let me give the children one last kiss good-bye." Hermione said and Cormac nodded as she walked over to the children's room. It wasn't until she had slipped inside that she realized Malfoy had followed her.

"McLaggen?" He asked, his brow raised.

Hermione nodded. "Is that a problem?"

"No." He shrugged, his hands in his robe pockets. "No problem at all."

She pursed her lips and nodded curtly. "Good."

She kissed the children good-bye, once more promising Scorpius that she would return before she headed back out to the sitting room where Cormac was standing by the door.

"Ready?" He asked, impatience seeping into his tone and she nodded.

"Hermione." She stiffened slightly at the use of her name and turned to see Draco holding her coat out for her.

"Thank you." She said quietly as he held her coat while she slid her arms into it.

"It's chilly." He said by way of explanation, his tone clipped and his mouth next to her ear.

She almost turned around but she forced herself to keep going, her eyes focused on Cormac who opened the door and walked out and she followed closely behind, not daring to look back.

 **A/N: Don't throw things at me yet! If I get enough interest I'll post another chapter tonight! (Bribery at it's finest right there folks!) So hit the review button and let me know!**


	8. Of Returns

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other recognizable work**

 **A/N: Holy kittens you guys! I asked and you delivered, 15 reviews for one chapter! So here is the next as promised AND...this chapter is getting more into the M rated territory. Steamy times ahead people and remember, it's eventually a Dramione story, I promise!**

 **Chapter 8- Of Returns**

Hermione sighed as they arrived in the manor and Cormac leaned on her a little too heavily. She had told him not to have the last glass of mead and she really did want to murder Ginny at that moment. He laughed, too loudly, and she shushed him again.

"I- I had-" he hiccupped slightly. "I had a good time."

"Me too." Hermione lied, stepping further out of the grate and suppressing a groan when his hand caught her elbow and pulled her back against him.

"Let's do it again." He said thickly and before she could answer his mouth was on hers, too hot and too heavy and entirely too repulsive. She pushed him away and he hummed in satisfaction as she stepped back through the grate and he disappeared into flames.

"Have fun?" She squeaked as she turned to see Malfoy leaning on the wall and she forced a smile on to her face.

"Yes, did you?"

"Hermione-" He said, his tone low and reproachful.

"What? Did the children behave? If they-"

"Why are you doing this?" He interrupted and she stopped from where she had started towards her suite and turned.

"Doing what?"

"You think I wouldn't know? I'm a Slytherin, not a Hufflepuff. And I stand by what I said, Ginevra Weasley is scary and she probably should have been a Slytherin."

Hermione narrowed her eyes." I don't know what you're talking about."

"You just so happen to go on a date with Cormac Mc _Gag_ gen and expect me to believe it has nothing to do with-"

"With you?" she asked, her temper flaring. "Believe it or not Draco Malfoy, not everything revolves around you. Believe it or not, I may be lonely and wishing for the company of another person."

"You're children aren't enough?" he bit back. "I'm not enough?"

She scoffed at that, inching closer to him. "My children are _plenty_. However, it's nice to be needed for something besides wiping snotty noses and kissing booboos and honestly, Cormac's company was better than anything _you've_ provided the least few weeks you've been ignoring me."

"I haven't-"

"Bullshit." She yelled and she knew her anger had gotten the best of her but she powered on. "We kissed Draco. I get it, I'm a mudblood, I sullied your lips with my muggle parentage but for the love of Merlin, I just wanted to spend some time with someone who likes me for more than the fact that I can get their child to tell me what they would like to eat for breakfast. I liked that Cormac looked at me like I was a woman and not a glorified babysitter and I liked that he wasn't afraid to kiss me for fear of-"

"Shut up." Draco said lowly, and he moved forward, his hands grasping her arms firmly. "You think I ignored you because you're muggle born?"

"Yes." She fumed.

"Fuck." He swore, and he let go of her roughly, turning on her as he ran a hand through his hair. "No Hermione. I wasn't ignoring you because of what your parents are. I was ignoring you because I _want_ you for Salazar's sake."

"I don't understand."

"Of course you don't. Because you're a Gryffindor, you don't do selfish. You don't worry about self-preservation." He snapped as he rounded on her. "I _want_ you Hermione but all I can think of is how much it would hurt me to lose you if I were to fuck up. Which, honestly, I'm going to. I don't do anything else."

"No, Draco-"

"It wouldn't just kill me though. You see because my _son_ loves you. My son asked me tonight why you can't just be his mummy too and if, _when_ , I fuck up, I'm going to lose my son too. So that's why I've been pushing you away. Not because of your blood, which, by the way I haven't cared about in years. But because of the fact that if I let myself fall for you anymore then I could lose everything and I'm just too selfish for that."

Hermione stared at him, her eyes wide and he looked away, raking his fingers through his hair once more. She was completely speechless, something she honestly couldn't remember ever happening before, and as she watched him fume before her, she realized her precious words wouldn't do much good in this situation anyway. So instead, she did the next best thing.

Her hands were on his face before she knew it, pulling his lips to hers hungrily and for a moment she was worried that she might have made a mistake as he froze beneath her. All too soon, however he was moving with her, pulling her against him as their lips danced and his tongue darted out, begging for entrance. She greedily accepted as she pressed herself further against him, feeling the heat pool in her belly as his hands gripped her tight, holding her close to his warmth and his want. By the time they pulled apart, they were gasping, and Hermione was smiling as he leaned his forehead against hers.

She wanted to say so much, to tell him that she wanted this. She wanted _him_. Instead, she leaned up, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth and wrapped her arms tighter around his middle as he let out a laugh.

"Really though, Hermione, Mc _Gag_ gen?" He laughed breathlessly.

Hermione groaned but let out her own laugh as she made a mental note to owl Ginny to let her know everything had worked. Perfectly.

* * *

Hermione couldn't remember the last time she had been this content. In the days following her date with Cormac, she had started to see a whole different side of Draco. Of course she had seen his tender and affectionate side when he was with Scorpius. However, the soft kisses he gave her when the children were occupied and the way he would pepper a kiss on her neck or shoulder when he passed behind her, made her heart beat faster and slower at the same time.

They had decided, without even having to voice as much, to keep their budding relationship to themselves. As such, the time they spent together during the day was often hurried. However, they had fallen back in to a schedule and after putting the children in bed and making sure they were asleep, Hermione would make her way to the library where Draco would be waiting.

It was here that she found herself two weeks after her date with Cormac, lying across the sofa in the corner of the room as Draco ran his fingers through her curls while she laid with her head on his chest.

"You did not." He argued.

"I did. I swear it."

"I think if three teenagers broke a dragon out of the basement of Gringotts, people would have heard about it."

She moved until she was looking up at him, his fingers caught in her hair as he smiled down at her. "I swear to Godric. It was one of the only times I've willingly flown actually and I still haven't recovered."

"Oh, that's right. The great Hermione Granger is scared of flying." Draco smirked and she reached out to swat at his chest, laughing as he winced overdramatically.

"I'm not scared." She laughed when he made a face. "I'm not, I just really detest it."

Malfoy laughed at that, pulling her against him once more and kissing the top of her head gently. "That's only because you've never flown. Not really."

"How do you mean?" she asked, running her fingers along the buttons of his pyjama shirt.

"A Dragon and a Hippogriff you said?"

"Mhmm and a thestral."

"So you say…." Draco laughed again as she went to swat him once more and he grabbed her hand out of the air, lacing their fingers together. "You need to fly properly. On a broom. I'll take you sometime."

"I don't know-" she edged, not bothering to hide the quiver in her voice as she thought of being on a broom. The only thing at Hogwarts, besides divination which she swore didn't count anyway- that she hadn't excelled at.

Draco shushed her, reaching down with his free hand to hook his finger under her chin, bringing her eyes to meet his. "Do you trust me?"

She thought about that as she looked in to his deep, gray eyes that were so full of hope and longing. Would she have trusted the Draco Malfoy that had tormented her in school? The boy who laughed at her upbringing and thought lesser of both her and her friends and family? The simple answer was no. Did she, however, trust he man that that boy had become? The man that was loving and attentive to not only his child but hers as well. The man who had only earlier tucked Rose in to bed and read her favorite muggle fairy tale to them as Hugo nestled in to the crook of his arm. Without much hesitation she smiled at him and nodded. "Yes, I do."

Draco's answering smile was radiant as he leaned down to capture her lips with his and she felt her heart soar as she eagerly accepted.

* * *

"Dippy!" Draco shouted as he walked hurriedly in to the dining room.

Hermione stilled her motions as she helped Scorpius to cut up his waffle and looked at the man before her. Dippy appeared with a pop, trembling once again and Hermione felt bad for the elf. In the three weeks that she and Draco had been, for lack of a better word, dating, he had begun to open up more to her about the state of his family's affairs.

After the war, his father had received a sentence to Azkaban for numerous crimes, the highest of which was aiding and abetting Voldemort. It hadn't helped that his wand had been used to commit several atrocities that resulted in the death of muggleborns or muggle sympathizers. Draco had never defended his father to Hermione, a fact she was grateful for, but she could tell that it still bothered him and he rarely discussed his father unless he was talking about his mother. In his father's absence, Draco had taken over the affairs of the Malfoy estate and had slowly been working to restore some dignity to the family name. He had told her, a few nights previous, that if not for Scorpius he wouldn't even expend the effort. He wanted his son to have more, however, and so he worked tirelessly to repair the damage his father, and himself, had helped to cause.

"Yes Master?" Dippy asked shakily and Malfoy looked at the elf exasperatedly.

"There were parchments on my desk concerning Gringott's, I have a meeting with them and I am running late, could you please fetch them for me?"

"Of course sir." The elf said and bowed before quickly disappearing.

Hermione finished Scorpius' waffle and pushed his plate towards him before standing up and making her way to Draco who was fighting with his tie.

"Come here." She said gently as she walked up behind him and he turned, allowing her to take over the tie on his dress robes.

"It's an important meeting." Draco said lowly as her fingers worked the silk material deftly around his neck.

"I know." She replied softly and with a smile as she worked.

"I just- want it to go well." He explained and she could tell that he felt bad about his rushed behavior.

"And it will." Hermione assured him as she finished his tie. "You have nothing to worry about."

He smiled down at her and she realized, belatedly, that her hands were still on his chest. She blushed as she brushed some invisible lint from his dress robes before looking up at him embarrassedly. He laughed lightly as he reached down, grasping her hands in his lightly and giving them a squeeze as he leaned ever so closer. "Thank you, Hermione."

She inhaled, breathing in the sweet smell of him as she nodded her head distractedly. "Of course."

Hermione leaned in, her breath catching in her throat as his lips brushed against hers and she pulled away as Dippy appeared beside them, her hands full with the stack of parchment. Draco grimaced as he reached down and pulled the pile out of the elf's hands, quietly thanking her before he turned to Hermione. "I do have to go."

"I know." Hermione nodded. "You'll do great."

Draco smiled as he turned to look at the children, seemingly only realizing they were there at that moment, his eyes widening.

"I didn't-"

Hermione chuckled wryly. "It's okay. Just go."

Draco nodded, though he didn't look convinced, before he slowly left the room and Hermione waited until she heard the telling sound of the floo before she turned back to the children.

"Mummy?" Rose asked around a bite of her waffle, whipped cream smeared messily on her cheek.

"Don't talk with your mouth full Rose, it's not safe or polite."

Rose nodded and made a show of swallowing the food in her mouth before she started again. "Mummy?"

"Yes Rose?" Hermione asked, sitting down and cutting in to her own waffle.

"Why did you kiss Mister Draco?"

Hermione spluttered around her fork, taking a large gulp of her pumpkin juice as Rose and Scorpius dissolved in to giggles and as she righted herself, she couldn't help but join in.

* * *

"Hermione." She jumped as she came to from the nightmare, her heart pounding in her chest as she came face to face with Draco's worried gray eyes. "Are you okay?"

She sat up, breathing deeply as she tried to slow her heart rate and nodded. She had been waiting up for him, as she always did, knowing he might be home late and last she remembered she had been reading on the sofa in the library.

"I'm- I'm fine." She stuttered and she could tell in his eyes that he didn't believe her.

"Are they always like that?" Draco asked seriously, his tone soft as he laced his fingers in hers.

She nodded slightly, looking down at the floor with interest because the nightmare he had woken her _had_ indeed been bad, but it was different than she was used to. Normally, in her dreams, she would relive the night that Arthur had appeared in her floo while she was waiting up for Ron and eventually the dream would change. Before long she would be standing in a room alone, Ron's body laying before her bleeding and broken. Tonight, however, had been different and she wasn't even quite sure she was ready to admit it to herself.

"Hey." Draco's voice was soft and soothing as he pulled her in to him, kissing her forehead softly. "It's alright. I'm here."

She relaxed against him, taking comfort in his strong arms as she tried to forget the scenes that had taken over her sleep. Of the tiny screams and broken sobs as she watched two matching blonde heads disappear into the darkness.

His lips peppered kisses on her face and she smiled as his lips trailed a pattern down to her neck and back up to her temple once more. She let go, for just a moment, enjoying the feel of his mouth on her flesh and the resulting effect as her skin pebbled on her arms and neck, sending a delicious shiver up her spine.

She let him continue but turned so that her body was more facing his and she heard his throaty laugh against her neck as he expanded his path of kisses and she pressed further against him, hiding her own smile. He reached her collarbone, half hidden beneath her shirt and gently pushed the fabric aside, his lips gentle and probing before he slowly, deliberately, pulled away. She felt the desire pool in her stomach, the heat growing unbearable and she twisted on the sofa until she was able to climb onto his lap, her legs on either side of his.

"Hermion-" he started as she sat down, firmly straddling him.

"Shhh." She commanded and she pressed her lips against his, cutting off his protests.

He responded in kind as his fingers found her hips, rubbing underneath the fabric of her pyjamas and though she knew they were fast approaching a territory she wasn't sure she was quite ready for, she couldn't deny that it felt good. She ground her hips against his, relishing in the sound he made at the friction and she reached out with her tongue, licking his bottom lip as she deepened the kiss.

He shifted, his hardness pressing against her and it was her turn to moan against his mouth. He took the opportunity to move his lips from hers, once again scattering kisses from her throat to her collar bone and laughing against her skin as she shivered and whimpered below his attention. His grip on her hips tightened and she realized she had been moving above him, relishing in the feel of his hardness pressed against her center. She blushed and stilled her movements, opening her mouth to apologize just as the door behind them flung open.

They jumped apart, Hermione's heart pounding a too fast rhythm on her sternum and she turned back to see the last face she expected to see staring at her from across the room. The stern look of consternation she had seen before as she writhed on the floor of a room somewhere down below. She swallowed thickly against the bile that threatened her throat as Draco straightened up beside her and gave her one last look before he stood up and nodded to the newcomer. "Welcome home Mother."

 **A/N: I'm sorry! I love to hear your thoughts and views! How about if you can beat 15 reviews by morning I'll post another one! (I'm a mom, I'm a whiz at this bribery thing!)**


	9. Of Memories

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other recognizable work.**

 **A/N: You guys are amazing. 17 reviews last chapter and though it took a while, I'm still giving you this chapter. I love you all. Also, my super awesome friend got me a shirt that says "Dramione, I ship it" So needless to say I'm in an amazing mood! Hopefully this makes you all as happy as I am! Also, only 1 person has brought up a very important fact... I will say this to that reviewer, it _would_ give too much away but the answer you seek is already in the story. (This may be the only time I get to talk like Helena Ravenclaw. I kind of like it...) **

**Chapter 9-Of Memories**

Narcissa Malfoy nodded brusquely, her face severe as she looked at her son and Hermione wanted to melt in to the floor beneath her feet as she stood behind Draco.

"May I speak with you Draco?"

"Yes Mother. I'll… meet you in the study." He said and the woman nodded before she turned on her heel and disappeared.

Hermione groaned as she dropped down on to the sofa and Draco turned to look at her sheepishly.

"Draco-" she started as he moved to sit down beside her.

He sighed as he reached out, wrapping an arm around her shoulder tightly and pulling her against him. "I didn't expect her to..."

Hermione sat up, pulling away from him but reaching out to lace their fingers together. "No,It's fine. I mean, am I mortified? Yes. But… I'm also kind of glad. I don't- I don't want to move to fast. I don't want to rush things."

"No, you're right." Draco said, bringing her knuckles up to his lips. "I should go talk to her though."

She nodded her head and stood up with him, their fingers still laced together as they walked to the door. It wasn't until they reached the end of the library that she began to worry and Draco turned, his eyes serious. "I promise I will make sure she stays on her best behavior. For you and for the children."

She nodded and he slid his hand out of hers only to wrap his arms around her once more, his lips melding to hers in a searing kiss before he finally pulled away. She smiled at him one last time and watched as he disappeared in search of his mother and she headed back to their rooms. Her stomach churning with trepidation.

If there was one thing she knew about Narcissa Malfoy it was that the woman was intense about many things but namely about her son. She recalled, as she made her way back to her room, the story Harry had told her about the night in the forest and how Narcissa had deliberately lied to Voldemort's face just so she could get to Draco. She shuddered to think about what the woman might do to Hermione if she so felt the need to.

Hermione checked in on the children, smiling when she saw that all three of them had fallen asleep sideways across their mattresses, and with a flick of her wand she had covered them all up snuggly before she made her way to her own room and settled in to her own bed.

Her eyelids were heavy and she allowed them to close as she thought of Narcissa's face as she had walked in on her and Draco. It was only then, as she was falling asleep, that she realized she wasn't afraid of Narcissa Malfoy, not really, she was more afraid of losing Draco and Scorpius _because_ of her.

* * *

"Dad! You're back!" Scorpius yelled as Draco entered the suite the next morning. Hermione smiled as the boy rushed across the room and hugged his father. She remembered, mere months ago, when the boy had shied away from such exuberance or displays of affection and her heart swelled at the progress that he had made in such a short time. She felt a pang as she looked to Draco, now engaged in conversation with Rose about the color of her robes, she had always known that there would come a time that she may no longer be necessary and she wondered, with a lump in her throat, if now that Narcissa had returned that time would come sooner rather than later.

Before she could think on it too much, however, Draco turned to her with a smile. "I thought I would walk you to breakfast this morning."

She forced a smile on to her face and nodded. "That would be wonderful."

He raised a brow in silent question and she shook her head, turning to the children as they all headed towards the door in a rush to be the first.

"Please use your walking feet." She reprimanded as Rose and Scorpius smiled guiltily and slowed their pace while Hugo continued forward, anxious as ever to eat his breakfast.

Draco smiled at the boy and looked to Hermione, offering her his elbow. She smirked as she slid her arm into his and they followed the children in relative silence.

"Are you alright?" Draco asked once they had reached the first floor landing.

"Fine." She assured him steadily, summoning her Gryffindor courage as she looked him in the eye and lied.

He studied her face for a moment as they walked and she saw the uncertainty she felt reflected back in his gaze. Finally, he nodded, turning back to the hallway and walking to the dining room. The children paused when they entered and Hermione felt her stomach clench as she too walked up to the door to see Narcissa sitting in the position on Draco's right hand. The same seat she had been sitting in for the past few weeks.

"Mother." Draco said as he entered and Hermione allowed him to pull her along.

He watched the women carefully and Hermione watched him as he moved to the table and pulled out the chair for first and then her. It was the same thing he had been doing for weeks now, only now it felt stiff. Forced.

She swallowed as she took her seat and watched as Narcissa motioned for Scorpius to sit beside her. Scorpius looked back and forth between the three adults in the room as Draco nodded encouragingly and Narcissa smiled at the boy and Hermione tried not to reach out and scoop him up and comfort his fears away.

Finally, he inched forward until he sat down in the chair next to his grandmother. Hermione let out the breath she didn't know she had even been holding and chanced a glance at Draco out of the corner of her eye.

The food appeared before them and Hermione reached out to slow Hugo's hungry movements as she patiently cut up his food by hand. She listened to the conversation around her as she worked and once she had finished she set about eating her own food as Draco regaled his mother with the outcome of his meeting the day previous.

It was halfway through the meal and Hermione had started to relax, if only slightly, when Scorpius sent her a look. Perhaps it was the fact that she was a mother and had seen the look of desperation in her own children before or maybe it was because she had started to learn the boys nuances that she knew he needed something.

"Would you like more to drink Scorp?" she asked and the conversation between Draco and Narcissa tapered off as both of them turned to look at the boy.

Scorpius nodded and Hermione smiled encouragingly. "Would you like milk?"

He shook his head.

"Pumpkin juice?" she guessed again, only to be met with a shake of the head once more.

"What would you like dear? Speak up." Narcissa said from beside him and Hermione saw him tense up before he shrunk in on herself.

"Would you like some water?" she asked, ignoring his grandmother's firm glare as the boy nodded.

"Tell her you want water then Scorpius." Narcissa directed and Hermione clenched her jaw as she picked up an empty glass and the water pitcher from the middle of the table.

"It's fine." Hermione ground out and she gently set the cup down on the table.

Narcissa reached out, pulling the cup in to her. "He needs to speak up for himself."

Hermione felt the white hot rage begin to seep through her and she took a deep, calming breath before she spoke to the woman. "He's uncomfortable, it's no trouble for me to find out what he needs and provide that for him."

Narcissa scowled at the witch before her. "Young men use their words to get what they want. If you give in to his every whim then he will have reason to talk at all."

"He talks just fine." Hermione snapped and then turned to Draco with wide eyes only to see him examining his mother carefully. "In any case, he needs a drink of water."

"Then he can ask me for it." Narcissa said simply. "His mother had no intention of spoiling him."

"His mother isn't here." Hermione jumped at Draco's raised voice and she saw a flicker of something in Narcissa's gaze as she met her son's eyes before it quickly disappeared behind the stoic mask.

Hermione watched as Scorpius slowly slid under the table as Draco began speaking again. "I know you've been absent mother, but allow me to remind you that Astoria _left_. She didn't want this life and as such her _intentions_ no longer have a place in my home."

Hermione pushed back slightly from the table, peeking under to see Scorpius crawling towards her and she reached down, pulling him in to her lap.

"In any case, Hermione has been more of a mother to him than Astoria ever was, if she finds it in his best interest to give him something then you need to respect that choice."

Narcissa fixed her son with a level stare and Hermione half expected her to pull her wand or snap back as they stared each other down before she finally gave a curt, stiff nod and pushed away from the table.

"Dippy, I will take my breakfast in my rooms." She ordered and Hermione watched as the witch left the room, her robes swishing behind her as she went.

She turned then to see Draco sitting dejectedly in his chair, his head in his hand, and she reached out with her free hand to gently touch his arm. "I'm sorry."

"Stop." He said forcefully, his fierce gaze meeting hers. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

"I never wanted to come between you."

Draco sighed as he sat up more fully, reaching out to grasp her hand. "My mother and I have not had the relationship we once had in quite some time. You are not the reason for it."

"But-" she started and he shook his head quickly.

"Is that what you're worried about?" He asked, leaning down to catch her eye. She paused, unsure, before she finally gave in and nodded. "My mother loves me. I have no doubt about that. She risked her life for me in the battle and in doing such saved Harry's life. I can't deny that. However, after the war, when my father was sentenced, she was angry and bitter. She had saved my life and also lost her husband. She wants what is best for me, this is true, but she doesn't dictate what that is. Not anymore. Hermione, I've told you. I want _you_. I can't believe that she behaved so atrociously and believe me, I will be talking to her about that, but don't think for one second that I would agree with her."

Hermione chewed her lip as Draco accentuated his point by grabbing her hand holding on tightly.

"I was worried." She admitted finally. "That your mother wouldn't approve so you would, end things."

She said the last part lowly, leaning forward slightly, away from the boy on her lap who had started talking to Rose as he began to relax.

Draco's stare hardened at her words and for a second, she thought back to the angry man who had backed her up against the wall mere feet away. "You once told my son that you would never leave him? Despite what may or may not happen between us, I will never force your hand in that matter."

"I know-" she quickly amended.

"Don't doubt my feelings for you Hermione." He said fiercely and she lost her train of thought as he stared at her passionately "not for one second."

And as he leaned over, kissing her hard on the lips, she realized she didn't.

* * *

The days passed and Hermione was able to get back in to her routine with the children, despite the severe house guest. She was thankful, if nothing else, for the sheer enormity of the manor as she was able to keep the children, and herself, out of Narcissa's way.

She continued her meetings with Draco in the library at night, though they were more open with their relationship in front of the children. For what it was worth, the youngsters took it well and seemed to not even notice a shift in the dynamic between the two adults in their lives.

Draco had told her, shortly after Narcissa's arrival, that she had decided to come home after receiving word that Lucius' health had started to decline in the wizard prison. He thought, he told her as they sat under a charmed blanket on the balcony outside his sitting room, that it was his mother's last ditch effort to be close to her husband. Hermione would never admit it, but she felt for the witch.

She recalled, with sudden clarity, the months after Ron's death. She had gone through all the stages of grief slowly at first and had thought she was taking it rather well until one day she couldn't get out of bed because her whole body hurt. She was beyond tired and her toddler was screaming at her from her crib in the next room. Ginny had showed up at just the right time to find Hermione staring at the wedding photo beside her bed while Rose protested being ignored. After she had taken the toddler to the Burrow, she had returned and demanded Hermione get out of bed. When Hermione refused she had threatened to hex her and finally, Hermione had pulled herself up. She had barely made it out of the bed before she was hunched over the toilet, retching.

She knew then, that she was pregnant. She had resented it, for months. A visible and painful, often physically as well as mentally, reminder of her late husband. Two months after he had been gone Harry had apparated over to check on her and had found her tossing Ron's things in to the fireplace. She had managed to rid herself of almost every reminder of him that day. Save for the one she carried under her jumper. Looking back now she regretted nothing more than trying to rid the reminders of Ronald from her life, If not only for her but also for her children.

So she could commiserate with Narcissa in that regards. The desire to be close to a person you loved so deeply. She hoped, despite their tumultuous relationship, that the woman would be able to find peace.

"Mummy, can we play now?" Rose asked, pulling Hermione away from her thoughts. She had been waiting for the children to finish their school work and she smiled as she saw them holding up the pages she had had them do before she nodded.

"Yes you may, stay close and no running." She called as the children ran out of the room.

She picked Hugo up from where he was coloring on a spare bit of parchment and kissed his head. "I think it's time for a nap."

"No." He said ardently.

Hermione smiled at his use of the word no. It was something she was working on with him, but much like his father he seemed to be more willing to use actions rather than words. "Sorry sweetheart, I think we do."

She made quick work of it, laying him down in his bed and turning off the light. She had just left the room when she realized it was quiet. Too quiet. She walked down the hall, listening for Scorpius and Rose, and when she came up empty she realized they must have wandered downstairs. Sighing she headed after them, wondering what in the world they could be after. She pushed forward, listening for the tell-tale sign of the children and realized, too late, that she was heading straight for the drawing room. She looked up as she reached the doors only to see that the normally sealed doors were part way open. She looked around, waiting for someone to step forward, just as she heard a sound from inside the room.

Thoughts of her daughter in that room made her stomach turn and before she could stop herself she had stepped inside.

The sight assaulted her and she felt her heart rate quicken as she looked at the room that was still the same as it had been all those years ago. Her breath was coming in spurts and her lungs were tight, like something heavy was sitting on top of her. She clawed at her chest, hoping to relieve some of the pressure that had settled there just as Bellatrix's voice called out from behind her. She twisted on the spot, pulling her wand out of her pocket as the witch ran at her from the doorway and she screamed the first spell that popped in to her head, disarming her attacker.

She backed further in to the room, her ears ringing and her vision blacking out as the witch continued to advance and she flung spell after spell at her. And then she was on the floor, her knees buckling underneath her and she felt the sharp sting of metal on the base of her throat and the burn of flesh as the word formed in her arm. She screamed and writhed, watching Bellatrix who stood feet away from her. She turned her head as Draco's face came in to view, his voice muffled as he shouted something at her.

And as her vision blackened, she wondered if this was what it felt like to die.

 **A/N: I know! I'm terrible? Review? I'll post tomorrow (I'd post tonight even) if there was enough interest!**


	10. Of Trying

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other recognizable characters or works.**

 **A/N: Didn't quite break the review mark but it's okay, I still love you all! Thank you for every single review! I don't usually do this, however, I know I have a hard time finding Dramione fiction I really, really enjoy. (I'm a bit finicky.) I however stumbled upon a story that I am really enjoying. It's only 2 chapters right now but I'm really enjoying how it's written so far! It's only got one review so hop on over to MammaWeasley27 and her story "A New Normal" and let me know if you have read any amazing dramione stories too!**

 **Chapter 10- Of Trying**

The room was dark and quiet when she woke and she took a deep breath as she tried to settle her still reeling mind. She knew, now that she had calmed, that what she had experienced wasn't real. She told herself that as the vision of Bellatrix running at her played once again in her mind.

"'Mione?" she turned her head, surprised to find Neville sitting beside her bed.

"Neville?" she asked, moving to sit up. "What are you doing here?"

"Would you believe me if I told you that Narcissa Malfoy floo'd me?"

"What?"

"I was sitting in my living room and her head popped up. I thought she said you were being attacked. She barely had time to get out of the floo before I was here."

"I don't… I wasn't"

"You were having a panic attack. Malfoy was trying to calm you down but it was only making it worse. He asked his mother to call Harry but she figured it would only make it worse since he had been there, that night."

Hermione nodded her head and Neville moved to sit beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "You gave me a fright."

"It scared me too." Hermione admitted, turning to look at Neville. "I thought- I knew it wasn't real. The entire time. I knew Bellatrix wasn't there but I saw her… she was coming at me."

"Yeah, actually that was Narcissa. She had forgot to lock the door back and had run in to Rose and Scorpius. She went to close it up and found you inside. You disarmed her and then hit her with a jelly legs jinx. She yelled for Malfoy and he was able to disarm you…"

"Oh no." She groaned, covering her face with her hands. "As if she didn't hate me enough before."

Neville chuckled at that and she felt his arm tighten around her. "I don't think she hates you."

"No, I'm pretty sure she does." Hermione argued.

"No, I don't think so." Neville insisted. "She looked really upset when I arrived. I overheard her telling Malfoy how sorry she was."

"Sorry that I hit her with a jelly-legs jinx perhaps."

"No, but that's the thing. Hermione, I don't think she hates you. Do I think she's comfortable with you here? Probably not. But… I think it's more to do with what you remind her of. It's the same reason Harry is still uncomfortable with it and me as well. This place, it reminds me of a time when you were in danger."

"We were all in danger."

"I know that." He insisted. "But you… Hermione you were tortured here. On that floor. By Narcissa Malfoy's sister. I think- I think she feels guilty."

Hermione scoffed at her friend and shook her head.

"In any case, she _was_ upset Hermione. But then again, so was Malfoy."

"Oh no." Hermione groaned again. "I was screaming because he was trying to touch me."

Neville gave her a sad nod and she realized then that she had told Draco she trusted him but in the throes of her panic attack she had done exactly the opposite.

"I need to see him."

"Right, I don't think that's a problem." Neville said, moving to stand up. "He's been sitting outside your door since I brought you in here."

Hermione jumped up, making to hurry across the room to find him when Neville reached out, grabbing her wrist gently and halting her actions. "Hermione- is there something… is there something going on between you and Malfoy?"

She froze, her mouth open as she stared at one of her closest friends. She wanted to tell him, to tell him that she was quickly falling for the man that was waiting outside her door. However, she also knew that as soon as Neville knew, Harry would know and she wasn't quite sure her best friend was ready for that yet.

Neville seemed to take her silence as his answer as he stared at her in disbelief. "I thought- Well, when I got here and you were screaming at him, I thought I saw something but I didn't-"

"What do you mean?" she asked, crossing her arms protectively around her, waiting for the anger she was sure would follow his revelation.

"Hermione- when I picked you up he looked so lost and- and hurt. He looked like, Hermione he looked at you like I look at Hannah."

Hermione swallowed, her eyes moving to the door she was sure Draco was waiting behind and turned back to her friend, nodding.

"Neville… I think I'm falling for him."

* * *

She opened the door quietly at first, smiling at the sight before her. Draco was leaning against the wall beside the door, Scorpius draped across his lap and Rose tucked in to his side. Hermione realized, with a start, that Rose didn't have her shirt and she moved in to the hallway more as Neville followed behind.

"I'll take Rose." He said and Hermione nodded, reaching down to pick Scorpius up gently as Neville did the same with her daughter.

Draco jolted awake and Hermione motioned for him to wait a moment as she followed Neville in to the children's room and deposited Scorpius in to his bed. Neville kissed Rose tenderly on the head and did the same with Hugo before both he and Hermione slipped out of the room, shutting the door behind them.

Hermione looked over to see Draco standing by her door, watching her intently and she felt the heat rush up in her cheeks. She knew she was falling in love with him, but what if the feeling was unrequited.

"Stop." Neville said gently and she turned to see him staring at her. "I can see what you're thinking and you're wrong…you know, I don't think I've ever said those words to you before."

"Shut up." She said playfully and batted at his arm.

"I saw the way he looked at you Hermione. I'm not wrong on this, so stop overthinking it."

Hermione smiled at her friend and leaned in to him, wrapping her arms around his middle tightly. He kissed her forehead before he pulled away and shot one last glance at Malfoy. "Just be careful 'mione okay?"

"Aren't I always?" she asked and he laughed, shaking his head as he headed towards the door and she turned, walking towards Draco.

She bit her lip as she approached him and he looked at her guardedly from where he leaned against her open door.

"Hermione, I'm-" he started and she shook her head and reached out to grasp his hands in hers.

"If you're going to apologize, don't." she said firmly.

"My mother shouldn't have left-"

"Draco, stop." She said and she squeezed his hand once more.

"Fine." He nodded and he gently ran his thumb over the back of her hand. "Are you alright?"

Hermione nodded. "I am. Is your mum-"

She watched his jaw clench and he turned, avoiding her gaze. She sighed and leaned up, using her fingers to turn her head back towards her and catching his gaze.

"Draco-" she whispered determinedly.

"My mother is fine. She wanted to get a photo, out of the drawing room. A photo of my father. She went in to retrieve it and left it open. She _forgot_ about it and walked right out. It wasn't until she ran into Rose and Scorpius in the hall that she remembered. It was a careless mistake."

"But it was a mistake." Hermione insisted and he met her eyes then.

Draco breathed in and out, his nostrils flaring and he pulled his hand out of hers roughly, turning away from her as he ran his palm down his face.

"You deserve so much better than this." He finally said and Hermione looked at him questioningly. "You deserve someone who doesn't have to keep a room locked because of the horrors that took place in it. You deserve someone who doesn't have to grovel just to do business because of things he did."

"Draco, you didn't-"

"You deserve better than me Hermione. You _and_ your children deserve better. You are too good for me. You deserve a man like Neville Longbottom who can say he's a hero. A man your children can look up to."

Hermione felt the anger bubbling inside of her as she reached out, pushing Draco more firmly in to her room and shutting the door behind her.

"No." she said resolutely, standing between him and the exit.

"Yes. Hermione, I'm not _good_. I'm a murderer!"

"You're not!"

"I'm as good as!" He thundered before he turned and started pacing.

"You didn't kill anyone Draco. You didn't choose any of the cards that were dealt to you, I know that now. You a _re good._ I see it when you're with Scorpius. Or when you are patient and loving with Rose and Hugo. I see it when you're with me."

He was shaking his head before she had even finished and he rounded on her then, his face a mixture of pain and frustration as he stared her down. "I'm not _Ron_ Hermione. I will never _be Ron."_

She gaped at him and watched as his shoulders hunched and he walked to the window on the other side of the room, his hands clenched into fists that he held tightly to his sides.

The seconds pressed on and Hermione was trying to find the right words to say.

"You're right." She finally said and she saw him deflate even more. "You're not Ron. There will never be another Ronald Weasley in this world and I- I don't want you to be him. Because I love _you_.

He turned then, his features frozen in shock and Hermione kicked herself.

"I'm sorry- I shouldn't have…"

She was cut off as Draco's lips crashed against hers, his hands pulling her close and holding her there. His kiss was searing and fervent, his lips speaking volumes as she relaxed in to him.

"Say it again." He said as he pulled away, his voice hoarse.

"I love you."

"Again." He demanded.

"I love you." She repeated, louder this time before he captured her lips once more and finally, pulled away, breathless.

"Just making sure." He smirked and she rolled her eyes at his cocky demeanor because it was so very much Draco. It was smug, pretentious, and demanding. It was _him_. The same Draco she had spent hours with in the library as they discussed everything from literature to the children to politics in the ministry. She had fallen in love with the man before her. Who he was didn't matter anymore, what mattered was who he had become.

"Shut up." She smiled back, pulling his lips down to hers and just as she met his mouth, she heard him whisper.

"I love you too."

She smiled as she pulled him even closer still, losing herself in his kiss.

* * *

Hermione stretched as she woke and smiled as the head of blonde hair on her chest tickled her nose and Draco tightened his hold around her waist in his sleep as he nestled further in against her. It was only then that Hermione realized that something _other_ than the nightmares she had been suffering from for so long had woken her up. In fact, before she had been roused from her sleep she had been in a blissful, dreamless slumber.

Her eyes flitted around the slowly lightening room and she realized that Dippy was standing, trembling near the door. "Dippy?"

"Yes Miss Hermione." The elf said. "Dippy is sorry to wake you miss but Mistress Narcissa requests your company in her room."

Hermione gaped at the elf as she processed her words and it was only then that she felt Draco tighten his arms once more and press a kiss to her shoulder. "You don't have to."

"No, I- I should." She protested. "I will. Tell Narcissa that I will meet her."

Dippy nodded and disappeared and Hermione sighed but made no move to get up.

"You really don't have to." Draco said softly.

"I know." Hermione replied. "I do know that but, she's your mother Draco and eventually we're going to have to talk. Might as well be now."

He met her answer with a kiss, which she gladly accepted, before she pulled away. "I should go meet her."

Draco nodded and watched as she stood and smoothed out her robes, not even bothering to change them and with a hefty sigh, she leaned over and placed one more kiss on his lips before she hurried off to find Narcissa Malfoy.

* * *

"Mrs. Weasley, please do come in." Narcissa said from inside her room and Hermione steadied herself as she stepped through the doorway to see the woman sitting before her fireplace rigidly.

"Er- thank you." She replied as walked towards the table and sat down opposite the woman.

"I am glad that you agreed to see me." Narcissa began before Hermione had even really got situated. "I'm sure my son was none too happy of my request but I felt it essential to meet with you in private. You see, Mrs. Weasley-"

"Please, call me Hermione."

Narcissa fixed her with a level stare before she continued. "I am not a young woman by any means. I have lived and lost as much as anyone my age. I've made my mistakes and learned from them and I've also paid my dues. My sister was not kind, in any regards. What she did to you, here in my home, is something that has stayed with me to this day. I assume that Draco told you that we keep that room locked both magically and otherwise?"

"He did."

"That was my request, when we returned after the battle. It wasn't just what Bella did to you but the other… _things_ that transpired in that room as well. It was easier, I believed, to close the room and ignore the fact that they did, indeed happen at all. After our sentencing, when Lucius was sent away, I decided that it was better to do that in every aspect of my life. So I travelled to Paris, with Draco, and I left behind the parts of me that reminded me of everything that had happened in the past few years. When Draco returned, I decided to continue to stay in Paris, unwilling still to face the past that haunted me. It wasn't until I received the owl that Lucius was unwell that I decided to return here. To return home. Yesterday, I was in the drawing room to get the portrait that Lucius had commissioned for me when Draco was a baby. It was- a vain hope of an old woman, that it would bring me some peace."

The woman trailed off, a faraway look in her eye as she picked up her teacup and took a long pull from the drink. Hermione cleared her throat, her own hands clasped tightly in her lap. "I'm sorry, I still don't understand-"

"I believe, _Hermione_ that we all have pasts we wish not to face. I can only hope you see that my opening the drawing room was not in an attempt to make you face yours but instead a chance to face my own. When I walked in the room I thought I would be able to get the portrait and take it out and instead I was brought back to that day so long ago in which I watched my own flesh and blood torture a child on the marble floor of somewhere that should have been safe."

Hermione breathed in and out and silently watched the woman in front of her. She had aged in the years since Hermione had seen her and she assumed that some of that had to do with the things that she had witnessed. Hermione wondered, if given the choices that Narcissa had been faced with, if she would have done much different. Her thoughts drifted to Hugo, to the boy he was now, and she thought of Narcissa remembering the small, wispy haired blonde child she had brought in to the world when he was being assigned such an atrocious task.

"I know." She finally breathed out and she wondered if Narcissa had even heard her as the woman continued to stare vaguely across the room.

"I wanted to protect him." She finally said, just as Hermione had opened her mouth to repeat herself. "Draco. That's all I ever wanted; to keep him safe. As a mother yourself surely you can understand."

Hermione wanted to argue. To say that she would have never signed up with Voldemort to begin with, but instead, she nodded her head mutely and the woman continued, finally turning her head to meet the witches gaze.

"I still want my son safe, and my grandson." She said tersely. "So I'm sure you can understand my hesitance when Draco said that he was hiring you on. Now, however, I can see that it is so much more."

"I don't know what-"

"Don't take me for a fool _Mrs. Weasley_. I have spent many years with my son by my side, I can tell by the way he looks at you that your relationship is no longer strictly one of business."

Hermione clenched her jaw and counted to three before she opened her mouth. "With all due respect, nothing that happens between your son or I is any of your business. However, as a mother, I can see where you are coming from. Draco _and_ Scorpius have been through much more than their fair share of tribulations in the past few years and I have no intention of hurting either of them. I am here until _they_ wish for me to leave. And it's _Hermione._ "

She didn't hide the contempt in her face as she spat the last few words at the woman, her hands shaking in her lap as she kept the other words she wanted to spew inside with great effort.

Much to her surprise, she saw the corner of Narcissa's lips pulled up as the woman relaxed her posture slightly and leaned back in her chair.

"Very well." The elder witch finally said with a nod. "I would be dishonest if I said I expected anything different from you. As I've heard you have a bit of a reputation for being headstrong."

Hermione snorted at that and she saw the other woman's eyebrows raise slightly. "only a bit?" she clarified and she was astonished once more as the Malfoy matriarch let out an actual laugh.

The two witches sat together, sipping their tea quietly, until a rap sounded on the door and before either of them could turn to it, Draco had stepped through.

"Mother." He said in way of greeting and she smiled at her son as Hermione studied the pair.

She could tell, despite everything, that Narcissa loved her son deeply and she knew that the woman was _trying_ and she couldn't fault her for that. She only hoped Draco could do the same.

 **A/N: Review? Next chapter is ready to go! ;)**


	11. Of Outings

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other recognizable works or characters.**

 **A/N: Here you go!**

 **Chapter 11**

Hermione smiled as she began to wake, leaning back against Draco's chest as he planted kiss after kiss on her shoulder.

"Morning." She smirked, her eyes still closed as he ran his hand up her side.

"Good morning to you." Draco pulled away long enough to whisper before placing kisses on her neck.

"Mmmmmm." She hummed in appreciation of his attentions as she felt his want pressed against her back.

She took advantage of his ministrations as she rolled over to face him quickly and pressed the length of her body to him. He smirked as he reached down, rubbing his hand up and down her bare arm and marveling at the pebbling of her skin at his mere touch. Leaning down he pressed a kiss below her ear before moving up to tease the lobe with his tongue.

"Who would have ever thought Draco Malfoy would have Hermione Granger in his bed." She said as she tried to remember how to breathe.

His laughter vibrated against her skin as he pulled back to look at her, using his finger to trace the planes of her face as his lips drew nearer. "Not I, for one, though I can't say I'm disappointed with the change of events."

She closed her eyes as she leaned in to his kiss. "Neither am I."

Before she could reach his lips he rolled, pinning her beneath him as one of his hands gently held her wrist above her head.

"I'm glad to hear it." He muttered as he started showering kisses down her throat and onto her collarbone that was exposed underneath her tank top.

She was breathless under him as her heart hammered in her chest and her body reacted to his touch as he drew his mouth across her skin ever so slowly. She yearned for him, and she couldn't remember ever wanting anything as much in her life as she arched in to him.

His soft caresses froze at the action and she worried, for a moment that she had once again moved too quickly. Her qualms were unwarranted however as he pulled back, meeting her gaze and she saw the hunger and need reflected back in his gaze.

"Draco" she shakily exhaled his name as he let go of her wrists and leaned down, resting his forehead against hers.

"I don't want to rush you." He explained softly.

She bit her lip, hard, as she fought the rush of swear words that threatened her lips as her earlier words came back to bite her and instead she once more arched her back, pressing herself against him in earnest. He moaned softly, the sound choked as he hovered above her with his eyes closed.

"Draco, look at me." She commaned.

Slowly, he opened his eyes and when he did there was nothing else. Nothing else mattered. Not then in that moment.

"Please." She pleaded throatily and it was all that he needed as he once again pressed himself against her and she whimpered beneath him and the clothes that separated them.

His hands pushed her shorts down her legs urgently, his fingers grasping at the fabric as she lifted her hips off the bed just as the door to her room opened.

He froze underneath the blanket and she turned her head to see Rose standing in the doorway, tears streaming down her face earnestly.

"Rose?" she asked, moving to sit up as Draco rolled off to lay beside her and she reached down to pull her shorts back up. "What's wrong sweetheart?"

It was then that Hermione noticed it, the two bunches of fabric in each of her hands and her heart broke for her daughter. Because there, in her hands was the tattered remains of what little she had left of her father and Hermione could tell it was beyond repair.

* * *

"You can have one of my robes." Scorpius offered to the teary eyed girl and Hermione felt a stab in her heart as she watched her daughter shake her head mutely.

"Hermione." Draco said and she turned to see him holding the three pieces of shirt in his hands. "I tried my best but the edges are too torn."

Hermione nodded and reached out, taking the offered material from him. "Thank you for trying. I didn't think it would work… "

"If it weren't for the somber mood I would take offense to your faith in my abilities." He said and though his words were teasing his tone really was gloomy.

"I know, I knew it would happen one day, I had just hoped…" she said, running her hand over the very worn fabric. "I hoped I would have more time."

She sighed as she realized that was becoming the theme of her life. She thought Rose would have more time with her shirt. She thought _she_ would have more time with her husband. It seemed time was not on her side. Not now, not ever. The hot tears pricked at her lashes and she felt Draco's arm pulling her against him as he kissed her forehead.

"Mummy." Rose said and Hermione pulled away from Draco to move next to her daughter. "I'm sorry mummy, I didn't mean to break it."

"Oh sweetheart." Hermione said softly, reaching up to tuck a soft red curl behind her daughters ear. "I'm not upset with you."

"You're crying." Rose stated and Hermione nodded.

"I am. I'm not upset with you, it's just sometimes mummy misses your daddy."

Rose nodded and leaned in to Hermione, wrapping her arms around her neck. "I miss daddy too but we have Mister Draco now right?"

Hermione smiled as her daughter pulled away and reached out to cup her soft round cheek as she looked into eyes that were so like her fathers before she nodded. "Yes, I think we do."

Rose smiled a watery grin and turned to look at Draco who smiled at her and opened his arms for the little girl who eagerly accepted the invitation. "Too right you do."

Hermione smiled as she watched Rose lean against the man and he ran his hand softly over the back of her head and she wondered, just briefly, how Ron would feel about Draco holding his daughter. Shaking the thought away she stood up and made her way over to Rose.

"You know, I think we should get out of the house for a while. Maybe go visit uncle George and get an ice cream?"

Rose smiled excitedly and nodded before she turned to Draco. "Can you and Scorpius come too?"

Draco looked at Hermione, who shrugged. "You don't have to if you don't want to."

He smiled as he looked back to Rose and nodded. "We'd love to."

Hermione laughed as Rose demanded to be put down and the two children ran off in search of Hugo, eager to get their treats and Hermione reached out to lace her fingers with Draco's before the pair followed behind, leaving the shirt on the table behind them.

* * *

"Uncle George!" Rose yelled as she entered the joke shop, Hugo hot on her heels.

"Well, if it isn't my little Rosie!" the remaining twin said, appearing suddenly from behind the counter and opening his arms for his niece and nephew. "And Hugo too?! How lucky am I?"

The children laughed as he scooped them up, planting kisses on their cheeks and Hermione turned to Draco. "Don't accept anything from him."

The man paled but nodded and Hermione smiled as she turned to greet her brother-in-law. "Hey 'mione. How are you?"

"Good. How's Angelina and the children?"

"They're great actually. Just got back from a visit with her parents. You know how they are."

Hermione nodded with a smile. George, ever the jokester, had once tried to pull one over on Angelina's parents and the couple hadn't really taken it well. They loved the man but weren't too fond of his antics, though he was still sure they hated him.

"You two are getting big. My arms are sore already." He said as he sat the children down and nodded at a display. "Go pick a treat on me, but avoid the blue ones. You know what blue is right Rosie?"

The girl nodded as she headed toward the display, motioning for Scorpius to follow them before she reached over to pluck the blue sweet out of her little brother's over eager hands.

"Er- Hermione?" George asked out of the corner of his mouth. "did you happen to know that Draco Malfoy is following you?"

Hermione chuckled and turned to motion Draco over to her. "I did. He's with me actually."

"Blimey." He said. "When Harry said you had lost your mind and started working for him I thought he was joking, but now you're shopping with the pra-Hey Malfoy, how are you?"

Malfoy raised an eyebrow at the man, obviously having heard George's ranting but still offered his hand. "I'm well, how are you?"

George looked at Draco warily for a few moments before finally slipping his hand into Malfoy's outstretched palm and giving it a firm shake.

Hermione watched the exchange as George asserted his dominance and Malfoy refused to show any weakness before she rolled her eyes and blew out a heavy breath, prompting both men to turn towards her.

"You alright Hermione?" George asked with a laugh and Hermione shook her head exasperatedly. "You know, I hope you make a better employee than you do a student."

Malfoy chuckled and shook his head and muttered, "Not really" while Hermione gaped at him and George let out a hearty chortle before he turned to the man.

"Have you ever been here before?" George asked and Malfoy shook his head. "Well, then allow me to give you the tour."

And just like that, the men wandered off together, the trials of their past seemingly forgotten and Hermione smiled as she moved towards the kids to make sure they weren't pocketing any puking pastilles-or worse.

* * *

"He's different than I remember." Draco said as they walked. The children were wandering in front of them, peeking in shop windows as they licked their dripping ice cream cones.

Hermione nodded. "He is. I guess losing your other half forces oneself to evolve."

She looked at him then, noting the set of his jaw before she reached out, linking her fingers through his as she pulled him to a stop.

"Don't." she said as he met her eyes. "It's not your fault."

"I can't help but feel responsible." He said lowly and she sighed as she pulled his hand towards her chest, grounding him against her.

"I made Ron keep his job in Magical Law Enforcement." She said as she stared at his hand. "He wanted to help George in the shop and I was scared. I was pregnant with Rose and I wanted a sure thing. I thought- I thought that if he took the job and helped his brother that he would never go back. I thought that and I voiced that and he stayed with the MLE job. It was that job that took him in to the field with Harry. It was better that way is what I told myself. Because they were always together before and on the field they were that much safer. Because they were together. Only, they weren't. I could spend the rest of my life wishing that I had done things differently. But what would that get me? Where would that get me? I'm choosing to live in the now and I hope that you will to."

She looked down then, at the hand that wasn't holding his to see her ice cream cone had dripped on her fist and she groaned as she raised it up to lick the melted confection from her hand before she looked back to Draco who was looking at her like she had grown three heads.

"Wha-" she started to ask but was cut off as he grasped her face between his hands and slowly leaned down.

She prepared herself for the kiss that never came as he veered to the left at the last minute and licked the side of her lip gently.

"You had some ice cream, just there." He remarked before he placed a kiss to the place he had just lapped with his tongue. "Don't worry, I took care of it for you."

She laughed as she reached out to swat him but he deflected her hand and leaned to the right as he placed a soft, chaste kiss on her cheek.

And just like that, she realized that he was ready to try to let go. It wouldn't be easy and he would still have his doubts but he was going to try. And she was ready to help him.

She was still smiling as they continued walking, listening as Rose prattled on about broomsticks and barn owls and Scorpius listened intently. So content in their own little world that they never noticed the fly that buzzed near their heads or the flashbulb from a nearby storefront.

 **A/N: Ooooh. Next chapters is queued up and ready to go!**


	12. Of Attacks

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other recognizable work or character.**

 **A/N: Short little chapter for you all! Let me know what you think!**

 **Chapter 12**

"Rose, what did I say?" Hermione asked sternly, her hands on her hips as she looked down at the girl.

"I forget?" Rose said with a sheepish grin up at her mother.

Hermione sighed and levelled the girl with a stare, ignoring Draco's barely audible snicker from the head of the table.

"Let's try to remember then. What should we do with our food?"

The girl shrugged as she pushed over the tower she had been building with her potatoes as Scorpius answered readily from across the table. "Eating!"

"Thank you Scorpius. Rose, please eat your food, not play with it."

The little girl nodded and pierced a piece of her chicken and Hermione sent a look towards Draco, noting only then that Narcissa was also hiding a smile.

"Don't mind me." Draco said lowly as he leaned over and gave her a delicate kiss on the cheek. "She just looks so much like you when she's being told off."

Hermione chuckled as he leaned back into his own seat and she started in on her dinner when the fireplace from the next room chimed and all of the heads in the dining room turned to look at the door.

"Who in the world would that be at this hour?" Narcissa asked, moving to stand up but Draco waved her down.

"I'll go see mother, finish your supper."

The witch nodded but didn't pick her cutlery back up as Draco pushed his chair back and walked out of the dining room just as someone yelled " _expelliarmus."_

Draco's wand flew out of his hand and clattered noisily out of sight as Hermione and Narcissa both raced out of their chairs, their own wands drawn as they advanced.

"Dippy." Narcissa said from behind her and the little elf materialized in front of the women with wide eyes. "take the children to their rooms and lock the doors. Keep them safe."

Hermione nodded at the elf and then at Narcissa as she flew out of the dining room and into the room where Draco now stood with his hands up in surrender. Her mind raced as visions of vengeful death eaters played in her mind and her heart was trying to make a quick escape out of her nostrils as she slid to a stop in the archway that led to the large living area.

"Harry?" she asked in confusion, seeing her best friend with his wand drawn and directly pointed at Draco's throat. "Harry what are you doing?"

"Stand back Hermione." He commanded, his eyes wild.

"No, I will not." She yelled, powering forward as she moved to stand between her best friend and Draco. "You are acting insane."

"Am I? How are you feeling Hermione? Do you feel like you're floating? Like you don't have a care in the world?"

"What the hell are you on about?" she asked and she heard Draco sigh behind her.

"He's asking if you've been imperiused." The man at her back explained and she gasped as she looked at Harry.

"Tell me he isn't right."

"Hermione-"

"Tell me!" she bellowed, walking towards him. "What is wrong with you?"

She reached for her own wand then, pulling it out to point it at Harry who rightly backed away just as the fireplace chimed again and a heavily pregnant Ginny stepped through. "I'm so sorry Hermione. I tried to stop him but he just took off and then I had to get mum to watch the boys-"

"Hermione-" Harry started again, his own wand slack at his side as she continued to aim at him.

"Shut up." She snapped. "You come here ready to, what? Hurt him? Harry, how _could_ you."

"No Hermione." He countered sharply. "How could _you_?"

"What are you talking-"

"I'm talking about the fact that you're running around on Ron with _him_."

Hermione felt her jaw go slack as Harry spat at her.

"Harry." Ginny said gently, moving forward to rest her hand on her husband's arm but he shook her off, his face contorted with anger.

"I'm not running around on anyone." Hermione insisted resolutely, "and I have no idea where you're getting this from."

"I'm getting this from _this_." Harry thundered, yanking the daily prophet from his robe pocket and thrusting it at her.

Hermione paled as she picked up the paper and unfolded it, coming face to face with a photo of their trip to Diagonalley the day before as Draco leaned in to lick the side of her mouth and she stared up at him adoringly.

"Harry-"

"Tell me Hermione. Tell me it's not what it looks like."

"I can't." she said softly.

Harry swore as he ran his hands through his unruly hair, his face twisted in pain. "How could you?"

"Harry." Hermione said warningly and the man shook his head, pushing past her crudely to look at the man behind her.

"I testified for you. You're mother as well. After everything you had done. Everything we lost because of your lot. Was it not enough? You won't be happy until you take everything from me? Is that it?"

Draco said nothing as the two men stared each other down and it took Hermione a moment to come to her senses as she grabbed Harry's arm. "Harry James Potter. Stop this, this instant!"

Harry reacted, yanking his arm roughly out of her grasp enough that she stumbled backwards. It was only then that Draco moved as he drew his own wand, pointing it at Harry. "I think that's quite enough _Potter_." He drawled.

Harry looked somewhat shocked as he looked from Hermione to the man before him, his shoulders deflating slightly. Hermione moved forward then, ignoring Draco's nervous glances as she wrapped her arms around her best friend and he pressed his face in to her neck as his shoulders shook with sobs.

* * *

"… _Hermione Weasley, nee Granger, for what's it worth seemed to be floating on air as the couple trailed behind their batch of children and it leaves one to wonder, just how far would Draco Malfoy go to get his comeuppance to the Chosen One. If you don't remember, Harry is the one who testified for both Narcissa Malfoy nee Black as well as the younger Malfoy in front of the Wizengamot. When it came to Lucius Malfoy, however, it seemed that Potter just couldn't be bothered. In any case, Hermione and Draco seem cozy together and we can only assume that one way or another the blonde has charmed his way in to her life."_ Hermione sighed as she tossed the paper down. "You can't possibly believe this garbage."

She stood on the balcony with Harry. He was leaning against the railing, bearing the brunt of his weight on his forearms as he gazed off in to the distance dejectedly but made no move to answer her.

"Harry, I swear to Merlin that I am in sound mind and body…"

"I know." He retorted.

"Then I don't understand what the-"

"It should have been me Hermione." He said softly, his voice filled with anguish. "That day…"

"Harry-" she said softly, moving forward to wrap her arm around his waist tightly. Letting him know he didn't have to continue. Normally it was out of love for her best friend, today however, she wasn't sure she _wanted_ to know.

"I haven't even told Gin. I mean, I can't. I've tried but-" he cleared his throat, standing up taller and pushing his fingers up behind his glasses and firmly into his eyes. "It was supposed to be simple. One of the Dolohov brothers had been seen, injured no less. He- Ron didn't want to even go. He said you two had plans that night and I just… I _insisted_ Hermione. If it was anyone else… I just- wanted him with me. So we get to this house and it's a lot like my parent's house was in Godric's hollow and we cleared it, he was gone. It was cut and dry. And then I found a door. A stupid, hidden door in the wall and I should have called the other aurors. I should have waited but I didn't. I pulled opened it.

"I couldn't breathe as soon as I had. It was like- all the air in my lungs had turned to stone and the pain… the pain was the worst. And all I saw was my life flashing before my eyes. My parents, the Dursleys, Hagrid, Ron, You, Ginny, my _children_. Albus wasn't even born yet and all I could think about was that I had a child on the way that would grow up without me. I was doing to them what my parents had done to me. It wasn't fair. I didn't see him, not until he had grabbed me, pushed me out of the way. Clutterbuck, the other senior auror on the case said that he heard Ron shout and by the time he had gotten up the stairs he had already pushed me out of the way. Hermione, when I say it should have been me it's not because I'm being self-sacrificing. I'm saying that Ron took my place. He died _for_ me. Just like Lupin, and Tonks, and Fred. Just like every other person who should still be alive instead of me. And all for nothing. "

Hermione felt the tears rolling down her face as Harry finally looked up and caught her gaze and she turned quickly, looking out over the Malfoy garden as she swallowed against the lump that had formed in her throat.

"I'm so sorry Hermione." Harry's whisper was tormented. "I wouldn't have-"

"That's just it though isn't it?" Hermione said, turning to look at Harry sharply. "You wouldn't have wanted it. Do you think he knew that? Absolutely. Ron wasn't stupid Harry, he knew what he was doing. He knew that whatever that curse was would break him but he chose to do it anyway because he loved you. He loved Ginny. He loved Jamie and he was so excited for Albus. He didn't die for _you_ Harry. He died for them. He wouldn't have wanted you to wallow like this."

"You think I'm wallowing?" He asked heatedly and she nodded slightly. "I'm not. I am, so thankful. Every day. But I see you and Rose and… he never even knew Hugo and I just feel so guilty. It consumes me."

"And it will." She said, nodding, knowing that guilt was something no one would ever be able to lift from his shoulders. It was the same with all of the casualties of the battle of Hogwarts. She saw the lines in his face, the slight lean of his shoulders. They were a weight he would carry with him forever and that was just who he was. It was what he did. "That guilt will never go away. The pain will never lessen but as we go we learn to make room for it. To live _with_ it instead of allowing it to live for us. I've found that, with Rose and Hugo. With Scorpius and Draco too. I think if you look hard enough you'll see that you already have it."

Harry let out a shaky breath as he turned to pull her in to his side, placing a kiss on her forehead. "I'm sorry Hermione. I guess, after Ron died I thought I had to protect you. Because he protected me. I let that cloud my judgement today and I am sorry. "

Hermione nodded, "It's not only me that you owe an apology to."

He groaned slightly and she laughed as it rumbled deep in his chest before he pulled away to smile down at her. "I love you."

"I love you too."

He pulled away then, shoving his hands in the pockets of his robe as he walked back into the manor and down the hall where Ginny and Malfoy had gone to wait for them and she knew that she was right. Losing someone you loved would always stay with you, but she also knew that Ron would have wanted her to be happy. Even if it was with Draco Malfoy.

 **A/N: So a little explanation! Hope that helps! Everything is written already, just waiting to post!**


	13. Of Locks

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other recognizable works. Sadly.**

 **A/N: This is definitely rated M. Please do not continue past the last line break if you do not wish to read things of the mature nature.**

 **Chapter 13**

"-and I hope you can forgive me." Harry finished as he looked at Draco from where he sat beside Ginny.

Draco exhaled, bringing his hand up to his mouth as he rubbed his knuckle along his lip, before finally and slowly, he answered. "There's nothing to forgive."

"I-" Harry started to argue and Draco held his hand up, stopping him.

"You love Hermione, and Rose and Hugo. You were worried for their safety because of some shoddy article you read. Given the situation and… my _past_ , I can't really say that I blame you. And I don't."

Harry gaped at the man in astonishment before he turned to Hermione. "You're right, he has changed."

Hermione rolled her eyes but smirked as she stood up from her position beside Harry and walked to Draco, who opened an arm to her.

"Blimey- I should go talk to the children, I'm sure they're terrified." Harry said suddenly as his face paled a little and he rushed to stand up, jostling Ginny in the process.

"The children are fine." Narcissa's voice said from the doorway and all of the eyes in the room turned to her. "Dippy is with them and I believe Miss Rose has decided to teach Scorpius how to play wizards chess."

Harry caught Hermione's eye giving her a small smile before he turned to Narcissa. "Mrs. Malfoy, I want to say that I am sorry for my behavior when I arrived. It was unacceptable and I let my judgement become clouded by gossip."

Narcissa nodded curtly at the man and Hermione braced herself to have to step in before she moved further into the room and sat down in the chair nearest the door. "I do not blame you, Mr. Potter. I happened to open my daily after your wife mentioned it. I was very disappointed in the article printed and I can see why you might have felt the need to storm in to our home."

"Mother-" Draco started at his mother's tone but she shook her head, ignoring her son.

"As it stands, I happen to be acquainted with Ms. Skeeter-"

"Rita wrote that?" Hermione snapped, reaching over to yank the paper off the windowsill where Draco had been reading it when she and Harry had entered the room.

"No, actually one of her young interns did. However, after talking with her, it seems Rita may have some thinly veiled bitterness toward you Hermione."

Harry snorted loudly at that and Hermione shot him a warning look while everyone else looked at him questioningly. "Sorry, go on."

"I'll tell you later." Hermione whispered into Draco's ear at the same time.

"Once I reminded her of the numerous favors I did for her in order to help launch her career she has agreed to print a retraction."

"That's great." Ginny said from the couch but Hermione looked to see Draco frowning deeply at his mother.

"Except?" he prompted.

The witch sighed and tipped her head towards her son. "Except that she wants an exclusive interview with you and Hermione."

Hermione froze as she looked to Draco who met her gaze only briefly before he shook his head. "Absolutely not."

"Draco, see reason." His mother said determinedly.

"No mother." He said again.

"Draco, it's okay." Hermione said and he looked to her, his eyes uncertain. It was something they had talked about often in their times together. Hermione had been running from the limelight since Ron's death. It was part of the reason she had left her job at the ministry which, in turn, had led her to Draco. "I can handle it."

"I have no doubt that you can." He said softly. "But you shouldn't have to for me."

"It's not for you." She insisted and instead she turned to Narcissa. "We'll do it. But there will be restrictions and I will have a say on what goes to print. If it strays at all, I will not hesitate to repeat the last _chat_ I had with Rita Skeeter."

Narcissa narrowed her eyes at the woman but nodded. "I will owl her straight away."

Draco pulled away gently from Hermione as he crossed the room to help his mother from her chair and led her out of the room. It was only then that Hermione turned to her friends once more.

"You know, I didn't believe it." Harry said. "Not when Ginny told me. Not when _you_ told me. But now, after I've seen it, that doesn't even seem like the same Malfoy."

"Loss changes people Harry." Hermione said sadly as she looked to where Draco was talking quietly with his mother in the hall.

"Has he met your parents yet?" Ginny asked, changing the subject.

Hermione shook her head. "I've been… waiting. I mean, I told my parents everything. They know my stories of him from school. I'm sure they would understand, once they met him. Saw him with the children."

"But?" Ginny prompted.

"I don't know." She said simply, shrugging.

"Well, his mother seems to like you well enough." Harry supplied from beside his wife.

"She's not so bad." Hermione hedged and she saw Harry quirk a brow before she continued. "His father is unwell. They sent Narcissa an owl to let her know. It's why she returned. To be close to him."

"Why don't they go see him?" Ginny asked and Hermione shook her head.

"They can't."

"What?" the redhead witch asked quizzically.

"My father is one of the most hated criminals in Azkaban." Draco's voice said and they turned to see him walking back into the room, his eyes dark. "He turned sides when it mattered the most to Voldemort's regime and nearly every death eater in that prison feels he is a traitor. Not only that but he also committed some of the worst crimes himself to those fighting for the Order and thus a target for those not in the prison as well. He's under strict security. He hasn't seen my mother since he left, or myself, and he's never met Scorpius."

"That's horrible." Ginny gasped and Malfoy merely shrugged as he sat down on the chair his mother had vacated and reached out for Hermione, pulling her to perch on his leg.

"He made his choices." He said and she saw the brief flash of pain in his eye before he turned to her, a smile forming on his lips. "And I have made mine."

She smiled back at him and leaned down to gently place a kiss on his lips, ignoring the sound coming from Harry's general direction as she did. She pulled back, looking in to his wonderfully vivid eyes as she wondered why she had been worried about introducing him to her parents in the first place. He was wonderful and kind and adoring, not to mention really, really attractive. She almost laughed out loud when she thought of what her mother would think of him. It was only then, as she was imagining her mother's voice when another woman's voice popped in to her head. The woman who had become a mother to her in more ways than one and she turned to Ginny.

"Did Mom read the daily prophet?" she asked urgently.

"Fuck." Harry swore and Ginny looked like she might be sick as they all stood up at the same time.

"What's going on? Your mother reads the prophet?" Draco asked, keeping hold of Hermione's hand.

"No, it's not mine, well she is mine. It's-"

"Mine and Ron's mother." Ginny said, interrupting her. "I'll go."

"No, I should." Hermione said hurriedly before she turned to Draco. "I'm sorry but I really should go tell her. It isn't fair to her to hear like this."

Draco nodded. "I understand."

"I'll grab the kids." Harry said, "You and Ginny go and we'll come along. She can't be upset when she sees her grandchildren."

Hermione cracked a smile at that as she followed Ginny out of the door and back to the living room, grabbing floo powder in her hand as she stepped into the grate and spoke her destination clearly and just as she started to spin she saw Draco give her an encouraging smile and her heart fluttered in her chest.

* * *

Molly, surprisingly, took the news of Hermione's changing relationship with Draco better than she could have ever hoped. The woman was shocked, to say the least, but she believed Hermione and Ginny, and Harry after he had arrived with the children, when they told her that the man had changed.

She spent the rest of her time there enjoying the time with her second family as they all sat around talking and doting on the children. When she finally left that night, it was with the promise that she would return for Sunday dinner at the Burrow and that she would try to bring Draco and Scorpius along.

Finally she arrived back in the manor and was unsurprised to find Draco sitting on the sofa in the living room looking into the fireplace. He stood up when she entered and picked up the sleepy little girl at her side, smiling as she nestled her head on his shoulder and promptly fell asleep.

"How did it go?" He asked as they made their way up the grand staircase and towards the left into Hermione's rooms.

"Better than expected." Hermione whispered back, opening the door to the children's room for him and smiling at Scorpius who was nestled in his bed.

She moved across the room, setting Hugo down in his bed and turning to see Draco pulling back the covers on his own when the little red stuffed animal caught her attention. "What is that?"

Draco picked up the little dog and handed it to her and she immediately felt the tears prick her eyes as she ran her finger over the button eye of the little terrier that was made from Ron's shirt.

"My mother found the scraps. When I told her what they were and what had happened to it she called in a few favors. I hope you don't mind."

"No." Hermione breathed, "It's beautiful. But how did you-"

"Ah, the patronus?" she nodded, "I believe my mother has been talking to my aunt Andromeda again. It's been a rocky start but they're slowly rebuilding what they once had when they were children."

Hermione smiled as she moved forward and placed the little dog in to her daughter's grasp, knowing she would be ecstatic to see it when she woke, before leaning down to kiss her head.

She followed Draco quietly out of the room and shut the door behind her before turning back to the man. "Come with me?"

He didn't need to be told twice as she laced her fingers with his and they walked to her bedroom together.

* * *

The back of her knees hit the bed and Draco reached behind her, cushioning her head as they fell on the mattress together, their lips never breaking apart. Her hands were hurried as she pulled at his pyjama shirt, a couple of the buttons popping as she worked on them blindly.

She felt him smile against her mouth and he pulled away, ignoring her protests, and undid the rest of his shirt letting it fall off behind him soundlessly. She purred in pleasure as she ran her hands up his bare chest and he closed his eyes, relishing in her touch.

"My robes." She finally said, the throbbing in her core becoming too much. "Take my robes off."

He nodded and moved from above her as she quickly yanked her robes off over her head and threw them to the floor. She was lying on the bed in her knickers and she laughed breathlessly as she watched Draco rake his eyes over her. She pushed up, reaching out to grab his hand and pull him down on top of her once more.

"Hold on." He said and she tensed as he moved to the bedside table and picked up his discarded wand. "Locked the door."

She chuckled as he set the wand back down and she pulled his face to hers, their lips crashing together hungrily. He sucked on her bottom lip and she moaned into his mouth, arching her back as she pressed herself against him tightly, yearning to be as close to him as she could.

He obliged as he pulled away and slipped her panties down her hips, his fingers trailing back up to her moist center as she gasped in pleasure at the movement.

"More." She pleaded and ever so slowly he dipped two fingers into her, pumping them slowly in and out.

Her breath caught in her throat as he continued to move and she pushed herself against his hand, relishing in the feeling of his fingers inside of her as he leaned down to pepper kisses up her throat and onto her lips, his tongue darting out and licking sporadically, his hot breath sending shivers down her spine.

"Draco." She panted as he continued his ministrations and she reached down to still his hand. "I want you. Please."

She met his eyes in the dark, noting the way his eyes darkened as he nodded and pulled his fingers from her and moved to position himself over her.

He paused, for a moment, his hardness pressing against her aching core and she looked up in to his face, studying the tiny facets of him as he hovered above her. His lower lip trembled slightly as he contemplated her, his eyebrows knit together slightly at that and she noticed that he had a small scar above his left brow that was only noticeable in that moment. She smiled as she reached up to cup his face with her hands, knowing his hesitation.

"I want this." She breathed. "I want _you_."

And just like that, he moved, pressing in to her gently. She inhaled sharply, letting her hands fall to the mattress below her, gripping the sheets in her fists as he stopped moving. She took a moment, acclimating to the sensation of his cock within her before she finally started moving against him. He responded then, his hips picking up a steady rhythm as he moved in and out of her, earning a muffled whimper in response as she pressed her mouth against his shoulder.

Her fingers dug in to his back, her nails leaving little half-moon indentions in his flesh and she let her head fall back, her mouth open as she continued to moan in pleasure until she reached the edge. Her orgasm rippled through her as she nibbled at the corded muscle that led from his shoulder to his neck and she felt him stiffen in response, his skin pebbling beneath her hands as he found his release, his seed spilling deep inside of her.

He relaxed his body as his spasms stopped and his nose rested against hers as his breathing slowly evened out. Finally, he kissed her lips gently before he slowly pulled out of her and moved to lie down beside her, wrapping an arm around her waist.

She snuggled deeper in to his arms, breathing in his musky scent, before she slowly fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.


	14. Of Surprises

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other recognizable work or character.**

 **A/N: Sorry for the wait. I have no excuse. This story is still done and waiting to be posted. Please review and let me know what you think!**

 **Chapter 14**

Rita Skeeter sat across from Hermione and Draco, her gold teeth gleaming in the light from the nearby window.

"Shall we get started then?" she asked, pulling out her handbag which matched her chartreuse robes and looked like it was made of Dragon hide. She smiled stiffly as she pulled out her quill without waiting for an answer. "Lovely, so Draco, may I call you Draco? Witches everywhere are wondering, what could have possibly persuaded you, the ever solitary heir to the Malfoy fortune, to finally settle down and with Mrs. Weasley no less."

" _Hermione_ ," Draco corrected, his eyes narrowed and Hermione reached out to grasp his hand, giving it a gentle and encouraging squeeze. "Hermione is one of the greatest witches I know. She accepted my son into her heart and her arms without question and I am unbelievably lucky that she has allowed me the same opportunity."

"Lovely." Rita said again, though this time it sounded anything but _lovely_. "Mrs. Weasley, what exactly have you _done_ that has this dashing man smitten with you."

Hermione sighed as she resigned herself to how this interview was going to go but just as she opened her mouth to respond to the half-witted question, Draco spoke up.

"I believe." He started coolly. "That we agreed to an interview in which to disparage the previous article that one of your staff wrote. If you have other intentions I will have no qualms with ending this interview right here and now."

"No." Rita said quickly. "I wasn't trying to-"

"Good." Draco interrupted without pause. "Because I do believe I may take a page from Hermione's book. I'm certain I can find a jar around here somewhere."

The blonde witch paled at that and picked up her quill once more and Hermione gave Draco a thankful smile which he returned with a small kiss to her hand before they both turned back to the reporter as she started in on the interview once more, this time with far less bitterness than before.

* * *

 _"So readers, it seems that, for now at least, dashing young Draco Malfoy is off the market. Whether this union is one that will hold water remains to be seen, however I believe if there is one thing you can count on it's that no matter what happens between this offbeat couple we are sure to see sparks._ " Hermione sneered as she tossed the paper on to the dining table with a shake of her head.

"She did what we asked I guess." Draco smiled as he tucked in to his eggs.

Hermione sucked her teeth as she picked up her fork and ignored the man beside her as Narcissa appeared in the dining room and moved to sit down in the empty chair.

"It was a rather informative article. Better than the filth that was previously published and despite her rather unpleasant opinion on you Hermione."

Draco did laugh at that and Hermione turned to glare at the man who shook his head and picked up his napkin to hide his sniggers as he pretended to wipe his mouth.

"Why, if I may ask, does she find you insufferable?" Narcissa asked quietly and Hermione shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

"Well… I may or _may not_ have found out she was an unregistered animagus."

Draco coughed what sounded entirely too much like the words "She did" into his goblet and ignored the look Hermione shot his way.

"Well, that isn't too terrible." Narcissa said easily. "Though I had no idea she even was an animagus."

"Tell her the rest." Draco said with a tilt of his head.

Hermione sighed and speared a strawberry with her fork. "I also may have trapped her in a jar and blackmailed her in to not writing for a year."

Draco let out another laugh and Hermione was surprised when Narcissa did the same.

"You were right Draco, she does have a fair bit of Slytherin in her." The elder witch said as she picked up her own goblet and saluted Hermione before taking a drink.

"Mummy?" Rose asked and Hermione looked to her daughter with a smile. "What's an _amimaygus."_

"It's someone who can change in to an animal at will." Hermione explained.

"Like McGonagall?" Rose asked excitedly and smiled when her mother nodded.

"Goggle!" Hugo yelled, having heard his favorite witches name.

Hermione smiled at her son and nodded as well.

Hugo, not to be ignored, pushed himself up on his chair. "Daddy! My Goggle!"

Hermione froze, her fork halfway back to her mouth as she looked to see her son waving frantically at Draco.

The man looked up, his eyes wide as he looked at the little boy who hadn't said more than five different words before that moment.

"Yes Hugo. McGonagall." Draco said calmly, smiling at the little boy and Hermione felt the rush of heat to her cheeks as well as the warmth of tears behind her eyes and it wasn't until she met Draco's eyes and he reached over that she realized they were running down her cheeks. Ever so gently his thumb brushed them away and he leaned over to press his lips to her forehead softly and in those tender actions he conveyed so much.

* * *

Hermione chuckled as she watched the children flit about the yard, their toy broomsticks clutched in their hands as they played together a mess of blonde and red and a tangle of robes. It was a rare sunny day and the kids had practically begged to go outside, though Hermione hadn't bothered to tell them she was dying to get fresh air almost as much, if not more, than they. She hadn't felt quite well the past few days, cooped up in the stuffy manor as the rain poured outside and though she was sure she would have to _scourgify_ them from head to toe before they could step foot back inside, the brief reprieve was worth the three weeks' worth of mud they were kicking up.

"Mummy." Rose said as she bounded over to Hermione, her face spattered with dirt. "Can Jamie and Albus come play soon? We want to have a two-a-side."

Hermione smiled at her daughter and reached out to swipe at her dirty cheek. "I think we can manage that. Aunt Ginny should be having the baby soon and then perhaps Uncle Harry would bring them for a whole day."

Rose clapped excitedly and ran off to tell the boys, her wild red hair flying behind her and Hermione smiled once more as she returned her attention back to the book in her hand while looking up every few minutes to make sure the children were safe.

"Hermione," Narcissa's voice interrupted her and she paused in her reading to look up at the woman. "Oh dear, are you feeling alright?"

"Not really." Hermione said honestly. "I don't think this weather is agreeing with me."

The blonde witch nodded and reached out softly to feel Hermione's forehead with the back of her hand. "I am going to visiting Andromeda, I am under the impression that she is quite taken with your children. How about they come with me for the day so you can get some rest."

"Oh, I couldn't ask-"

"You're not asking." Narcissa said firmly. "I know I only had one child but I do believe I am quite capable and my sister will be there, and Teddy."

"Teddy?" Hugo asked excitedly from where he had snuck up beside the women and Hermione let out a laugh.

"Well, if you're sure it isn't a bother."

"I'm positive." Narcissa said. "Scorpius, Rose, get your things we're going to go visit Andromeda and Teddy."

Rose squealed as she ran across the yard, Scorpius following behind, and Hermione sighed as she pulled out her wand.

"I'll take care of it." Narcissa said, reaching out to still the woman's movements. "Go on ahead to bed."

Hermione felt guilty, taking Narcissa's offer, but the exhaustion that had seemed to settle into her bones almost outweighed the culpability and she nodded as she leaned down to kiss each of the children in turn before heading upstairs.

She settled into her bed, her head resting on the pillows Draco had been using and she smiled to herself as she drifted off to sleep, with Draco on her mind and a smile on her face.

It wasn't until later, her heart stuttering in her chest, that she woke to a very different pair of eyes and a wicked grin as the scream lodged in her throat and her body went rigid before the world faded to black.

 **-END PART 1-**

 **A/N: I know! I'm sorry! Reviews make my heart sing so let me know what you think! How you feel! What you want to see happen! I WILL post again soon to make up for the delay, help speed it along. ;)**


	15. Of Cloaks

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other recognizable works**

 **A/N: In to Draco's POV now. Hope I do him justice.**

 **Chapter 15**

 **Part 2**

Draco was pacing in front of the fireplace, chewing a hole on the inside of his cheek as his fingers fiddled with the wand in his pocket. It had been nearly seven minutes since he had sent the elf, hoping not to draw too much attention, and in those seven minutes he had managed to draw up every possible scenario in his mind and every one of them had the bitter taste of blood filling his mouth as he tried to rid the images from his mind.

He glanced at the clock, noting that it had been exactly seven minutes and sixteen seconds, and began another trek of the stone floor in front of the fireplace.

"Draco-" He jumped as he turned to face his mother. "Draco, please."

"Not now mother." He snapped as he continued his path and turned his back on her just as the fireplace roared to life and he nearly jumped out of his skin as Harry Potter stepped through. "Dammit Potter, take you long enough?"

"What's going on?" Potter asked, his brow furrowed as he looked between Draco and his mother. "Where's 'Mione."

Narcissa made a strangled noise at that and Draco almost wished he had given her a calming draught when he had arrived home. Instead of answering out loud Draco nodded his head towards stairs and allowed Harry to follow him as they made their way up and into the governesses suite.

"I had a meeting in Diagon Alley, the man never showed so I left. When I got home my mother said she had taken the children to Andromeda's because Hermione wasn't feeling well and she was taking her some tea…" he stopped as he reached the door and pushed it open as Harry cursed at the sight before him.

The bedcovers were askew, as though someone had tossed them carelessly around, but the spectacle that caused the most fright was the writing on the wall opposite the bed dripping down the wall haphazardly; _Blood Traitors._

"Who took her?" Harry asked, spinning around quickly to face him and Draco felt his heart lurch.

"I don't know." He said, feeling like his stomach was in his feet as he stared at the man before him.

"I'm calling my team.."

"No!" Narcissa exclaimed from the doorway. "You musn't there's more."

Draco nodded as he pulled the note out of his pocket and passed it to the man. "It says we're to meet this person in Knockturn Alley, alone. They're requesting a large sum of galleons and a book…"

"The Darkest Arts..." Harry read aloud before he looked up to meet Malfoy's gaze. "But that's not…"

"My father, is rather fond of dark magic books as I'm sure you could guess. When the ministry raided our home, after the defeat of Voldemort, they took many of these things."

"So you floo'd me to what? Get them back?"

"I called on you because I'm getting Hermione back." Draco said firmly. "With or without your help."

The two men stared at each other intensely, words passing in their gazes until finally, Harry nodded only slightly. "I won't get my whole team but I need back-up and we can get the galleon-"

"I've got the galleons." Draco interrupted.

"I didn't say you didn't." Harry sighed. "This isn't about what you do or don't have-"

"We have to get her back." Draco cut him off. "I don't care about money, I care about her safety. I care about her."

Harry nodded once more and slid the note into his pocket. "Where are the children?"

"I've put them in Scorpius' old room. I think they would be more comfortable here…" Narcissa said, a hint of a waiver in her voice though she hid it well.

Harry nodded and reached up to run his hand through his hair before he turned back to Draco once more. "Take care of them, I-"

"No." he said firmly. "I'm going with you. Send someone here to care for my mother and the children but I'm going with you."

"Look, Malfoy-"

"The longer you argue with me is time we could be out there, looking for her. I'm not giving up on this Potter. Now, I'm coming with you."

Another beat passed before finally, Harry nodded. "Alright, let's go."

* * *

If it were any other situation, Draco might have laughed at the absurdity of it all. He was currently crouched in an alley, his back pressed against the wall as he and Potter tried to stay hidden under the cloak that the wizard had pulled out of his cloak and Draco had slipped under it wordlessly with the other man and now they were waiting, watching the mouth of the alley that they were supposed to be going down in a few short minutes.

They were silent, save for their breathing, and Draco was sure he could feel the anger and trepidation building underneath the cloak though he wasn't sure which he currently had more of.

"You don't have to be here." Harry said lowly, his voice tense and Draco clenched his jaw and bit on his tongue, keeping his retort to himself.

He knew he didn't _have_ to be here. He had heard the plan enough, after Harry had explained the situation to his small- and trusted- team of aurors as they worked out the details and Draco tried to ignore their sidelong glances. No, Draco knew that the team Harry had assembled didn't _need_ his presence but he would be damned if he wasn't here. For her.

He blamed himself. The owl had come and had spoken of a great sum of money that his father owed to a well-respected business man and of the back lash that would sure follow if this news was to come out. He had been working far too hard to allow something small to tarnish the family name once more. He hadn't even thought to send an owl back and instead had went to the meeting requested. It should have dawned on him sooner. Should have set off some kind of alarm, when the man in question hadn't shown and when Draco had gone to the office he hadn't known anything of the meeting. A set-up, so simple he should have seen through it.

His mother too, felt she were to blame, having offered to keep the children so that Hermione could rest. Draco wondered, briefly, if Hermione feeling unwell also had something to do with whomever was behind her disappearance. How easy it would be to convince a house elf to slip something into her pumpkin juice in the morning. How convincing it would look, if it had been discovered, that it was the work of Narcissa or even Draco himself. He clenched his jaw harder, feeling the pressure in his temples as he fought to control his breathing and his temper. It would not do well to become angry this close to Potter. This close to finding out who had taken his witch.

His thoughts halted then, Hermione's face filling his vision, he was no so arrogant as to believe Hermione belonged to him. No, not even Draco Malfoy would be arrogant enough to believe that. But despite the intensity of the situation that thought alone was enough to make his heart soar. _His_ witch. _His_ Hermione.

All too soon the euphoric sensation began to ebb as he thought of their current quandary. Hermione was missing and they had yet to find any leads as to who had taken her, where she was. He fought back against the idea that he may never see her again, refusing to even think on such a thing.

Harry shifted at his side and Malfoy leaned his head back against the brick wall, fighting the ache in his legs that only seemed more pronounced under the pressure to not move, to not make a sound. It was only then that they saw them. The figure shrouded in black moving towards the entrance of the alley in which they stood. Draco reached out; touching Harry's elbow and the man gave one curt nod in response. They both waited and he was sure neither of them was breathing as the figure continued to walk forward before finally entering the alley.

Harry and Draco seemed to be of one mind as they both stood from their position at the same time and hurried after the person, the sound of their footfalls carefully hidden with a silencing charm. They reached the position at the end of the alley, where they had been instructed to leave the bag containing the ransom. Carefully the person approached, looking around once before using their wand to lift the lid on the garbage can and leaning in to pull out the bag.

They didn't make it far as Harry threw off the cloak and shouted "stupefy" before Draco had even had time to raise his wand level.

Together the two men walked towards the unconscious body, their wands still drawn as they approached. Even more slowly, Harry leaned down, carefully grasping the fabric of the hood that covered the person's face and lifting it as Draco took in a sharp breath, his eyes widening with both horror and astonishment as the criminals face came into view. It was only then, as he stared down in abject disbelief that he realized this was about more than Hermione, and the feeling of dread seemed to engulf him entirely as he stumbled back against the wall, his head spinning.

* * *

The last time Draco had been in the interrogation room had been at the end of the war, when his family was being questioned for their involvement in the aiding of Tom Riddle. It did not escape Draco's notice that both times he had been here had been spent with Harry Potter. Though now, he was on the other side of the glass beside the bespectacled man.

"You don't have to do this." Harry said again with a great sigh.

Draco swallowed, looking at the charmed wall that allowed them to see directly into the room without being seen back. "I do."

Without another word they both stepped walked to the door and stepped into the room. Draco stood slightly behind Harry and looked at the wizard before him.

The Rowle's had never taken kindly to the Malfoy's. It was a fact universally acknowledged that while they ran in the same circles, they most definitely did not get along. So it was no surprise that the man before him was sneering at them, pure hatred in his glare.

"Well, if it ain't little Malfoy in the flesh. How's your pops?" the man winked and Draco bit down on his tongue, his gaze drifting to Potter beside him. "Oh and look here, in league with the boy-who- lived eh?"

"Where is she?" Draco growled, giving up his fight to keep his temper in check.

"Who?" the man asked, feigning innocence and chuckling at the heat that rose to Draco's cheeks.

"You bloody well know who!" Draco roared, slamming his fist against the table. "Tell me where Hermione is you stupid son of a-"

Harry's hand on his arm brought him back to the moment and he stopped, turning on his heel and tugging at the hair on his head roughly as Potter started in on questioning the man. Rowle was having none of it though as he continued to sneer at Draco, ignoring Potter's questions entirely.

"I did you a favor if you think of it." The man said, leaning back in his chair as though he were on a bloody holiday. "Doesn't bode well for the family name, for our pureblood lines, to have you running around with the likes of those witches, a mudblood and a bloodtraitor."

Draco twisted, looking at the man who seemed to realize he had struck a nerve. "What-"

"Oh, you didn't know then? You know, I have to admit, you _do_ know how to pick 'em. The first one, the blonde..." the man laughed sardonically, "Astoria wasn't it?"

Draco's jaw clenched but he remained silent and he was aware of Harry trying to pull him away but he remained steadfast.

"Sad she didn't last long. Her brain was already addled as it were, the cruciatus is not kind to those of weak mind," he sneered. "Your mudblood though… she's a feisty one. I figure she'll last quite a while."

"What did you do you sick bastard?" Draco roared, leaning over the table until he was inches from Dolohov's face and the man was laughing maniacally.

"Oh that curse is my favorite. We didn't have it quite right when her bloodtraitor scum husband first tested it out for us but we've had _years_ to perfect it. _Years_ to make it just right so she'll end up just like him ever so slowly. As it should be. Really, you should thank me. I know your father would."

The blood was gushing over the table before Draco even realized he had hit the man, effectively shutting him up as his broken nose spewed blood down his front and Harry forcibly pulled the blonde man out of the room despite his struggles.

Draco swore, grabbing fistfuls of his hair and tugging as he resisted the urge to turn around and use an unforgivable on the man, as the door slammed shut.

"Malfoy." Harry's voice said firmly but Draco turned, kicking the wall across from him and relishing in the sharp pain it sent radiating up his leg. " _Draco_ "

The blonde man stopped then, turning to stare at Potter as he fought to control his breathing and his temper, "I'll kill him."

"Draco-" Potter said again, firmer this time.

"No, I understand you're Saint Potter but I'm an ex death eater, I'm Draco Malfoy, I'll kill the bastard and you can find her."

"We can't," the man said empathetically. "Think of Scorpius, and Rose and Hugo, I know you love them as much as we do."

"Then it's a waste of our fucking time!" Draco bellowed.

"It's not." Harry insisted.

"We've spent hours here, by now Hermione might be-"

"Draco, I… I think I know where she is." Harry said as Draco fell silent.

"What? How?"

"He just told me." Harry said simply, turning to look at the wall where Dolohov was holding his nose, yelling obscenities. "I think I know who has her but we're going to need some help…"

"What are we waiting for then?" Draco barked and he turned, leading the way out of the room not even bothering to see if Harry was behind him.

 **A/N:** **This story is winding down, believe it or not... I'd love to hear your thoughts! Review!**


	16. Of Chances

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other recognizable works.**

 **Chapter 16**

Draco had heard the stories, same as the rest of the wizarding world, however seeing it in person was still disconcerting.

He had been here before, only once, as a young child. When his father and mother had brought him to see his aunt Bella and the only thing he remembered from that time was the cold and darkness that seemed to settle over the place.

It was still cold, though Draco was pretty sure it had less to do with the atmosphere and more with the location. Harry had managed to get clearance rather quickly, and Draco was bitterly reminded of the fact that he and his mother were still waiting for authorization for a short visit.

"'Ello Mister Potter." The portly guard said as the two men approached from the designated apparition point.

"Hello." Harry replied cooly, only stopping long enough to hand his wand over to be weighed and to walk through a shiny doorway to nowhere.

Draco followed his actions and joined Potter on the other side of the arch, looking at it curiously as the man continued to weigh his wand.

"Muggle contraption. Detects metal." Harry said before he clarified. "Knives, nail files, the like. You'd be surprised what people try to sneak in here both magical and other wise."

Draco nodded though he really had no desire to know what people tried to bring into this place and the man handed his wand back to him with a nod to the left of the entrance. "Bones is waitin' on ya."

"Thank you." Harry said politely before he started off once more and Harry followed closely behind until they came around the corner to see the witch standing, waiting. "Hello Susan."

Recognition dawned on him as he took in the familiar face of Susan Bones. She had grown up, as they all had, since their time at Hogwarts, though it seemed her face was more drawn than not.

"Good evening Harry." She replied. "As I understand it, you're in a bit of a hurry so I'll keep pleasantries to a minimum if you'll come with me."

He nodded and she set off, the two men following in her wake. Draco noticed as they went that the prison seemed to have been renovated on the inside as well. It now resembled St. Mungos' more than it did the cellars in the manor, and he was glad- albeit briefly- that his father would be spending time in a place such as this instead of the institution it once was.

"He agreed, but only after some coaxing." Susan said as they approached a heavy set of doors and Susan waved her wand in front of a plaque off to the side of the door which caused them to swing open.

The smell of clean permeated the air and the trio started forward through the now open set of double doors. It was then that Draco realized they must be in the medical wing of Azkaban. Before he had time to comprehend it, they had stopped in front of a door and Susan once again waved her wand and allowed it to open before she stepped aside to let the two men pass.

"I can only give you a few minutes now but if you'll owl me about the terms he requested-"

"Of course Susan, thank you." Harry said with a nod before he fully entered the room and sighing, Draco followed.

The room was dark, the lights dimmed and it took his eyes a few minutes to adjust until he finally saw the figure lying in the bed, his once lustrous blonde hair falling on his pillow in a stringy mess.

"Draco." Lucius said, coughing as he breathed in and out. "They told me you would be coming."

"Father." Draco said stiffly, looking at Harry expectantly.

"Mister Malfoy-"

"Please, Potter. I hardly have the time left for formalities, call me Lucius."

Draco saw the tiny roll of Harry's eyes and bit back a smirk before Harry readdressed his father. " _Lucius_ , I've been told you have offered up information that may be of use in capturing the younger Dolohov brother, Strom and Damek Ambros as well as the rescue of Hermione Granger from the Dolohov home."

"I want to see her." Lucius said suddenly, "I want to see my wife."

Harry looked to Draco who had tightened his jaw. "And if we can't allow it?"

"Then the information I have dies with me—"

"You son of a-"

"Draco." Harry warned and Draco had force himself to back up, to turn away from his father.

"Is it so wrong of me to want to see the woman I love one last time? I presume that's why you're here Draco? News hasn't escaped me of who you now chose to keep in your company and the company of my grandson-"

"Don't you dare." Draco said, pushing past Harry roughly and ignoring the man as he tried to calm him. "Don't you dare try to act like you know anything of my relationship with Hermione."

"I would do nothing of the sort." Lucius assured his son from his bed before a coughing fit overtook him. Once he had settled down, he continued, his breathing labored. "All the information I have for one visit with my wife."

"Fine." Harry said and he produced a pad of parchment from his robes and a self-inking quill as he turned to the man.

Draco reached out, stopping Harry's movements as he turned to his father. "If any of the information you give us is found to be false, or presumed to be false, you will die in this prison hospital, alone and I will personally see to it that the last thing you ever see of my mother is my face as I leave here today."

Lucius smiled at his son, the action making his already gaunt face look even more eerie as he spoke. "I wouldn't dream of it son."

* * *

"The wards will set off as soon as we step foot inside the property line. As far as Lucius knows, no one is actively staying here but they have some kind of detection spell up in order to see who comes and goes. It's part of the reason they were able to get away so quickly three years ago." He trailed off, his eyes looking up at the foreboding house before them.

They were standing in the middle of the street, Draco standing at Harry's right, and the irony of the situation was not lost on him. Potter insisted on going over every detail of the plan once more and Draco fidgeted on his feet, eager to cross the line and find Hermione.

The curse, Lucius had explained in the dingy prison cell, was something that both Dolohov and Rowle had been working on for ages. A slower version of the Cruciatus curse. It would drive a person mad for days, weeks, months, or indefinitely per the caster. They had enchanted the house with it, he said, having heard the whispers from those Harry and his team had managed to capture over the past few years. It was how Lucius had bargained and Draco was hoping against hope that he was right.

"Ready?" Potter asked and Draco gave one curt nod as the team moved forward, wands at the ready.

The plan was simple, the team would wait, just out of sight and on the other side of the wards, while Draco and Harry crossed into the property. They did as planned, feeling the rush of magic that seemed to flit down their spines to their very core as they stepped over the property line, and then entered the house before they settled down to wait.

Lucius had warned them of this.

It could take minutes. It could take days. It was up to Dolohov how long he made them wait. The wait was the worst part and every noise seemed to have both men on edge. The wind, blowing through a broken window somewhere upstairs, had both of them on their feet with their wands drawn and when they realized what it was neither of them could stand to sit back down. It wasn't until three hours later when they heard the small pop from the back garden and Harry nodded to Draco who moved back to the couch, standing with his wand at the ready as the back door swung open and Strom Dolohov walked in.

"Potter." Dolohov drawled, his voice ragged and too high pitched for a man of his size. "I see you've brought my lovely cousin along."

"Where's Hermione?" Harry asked and Strom tsked disapprovingly.

"I forget how entitled you think you are. You see, I do believe I make the rules here." He turned to look at Draco. "Unless you no longer wish to play."

Draco held his tongue, trying to gauge the man before him as Harry spoke up. "Just tell us what you want."

"I want my freedom."

"You are free." Potter said sternly. "You've been free for-"

"Not free!" Strom roared. "Never free! Not with your bloody team chasing my arse every which way. Not with the bounty on my head for choices my older brother made. I was barely of age when the war happened and yet I'm paying for his crimes just as much as my own. And the likes of the _Malfoys,_ " he rounded on Draco then with a disgusted sneer on his face. "Only family that managed not to get locked up, that one. Blood traitors if I ever known 'em."

Draco clenched his jaw. "My family is more than you will ever-"

"And soiling the family line too, all fun and games ain't it.. Sullying the family name and all, but I tell ya what, you must 'a been right about something. Mudblood can scream better than the rest of-"

Draco saw Harry move out of the corner of his eye, his wand poised and ready and Draco acted first, his own wand grasped tightly in his hand as he whirled on the man, his mind working fast as he stupefied Harry Potter.

"Well, well, well… "Strom said with a smirk. "Potter's crew isn't going to like this is they? Where they hiding out at?"

Draco shrugged, pocketing his wand once more and turning back to Strom. "I don't care really. I've done my part."

"Whatcha on about?"

"Honestly, do you not know how to r _ead_ or did you just look at the pretty pictures in the prophet. I've been working too hard for you to ruin everything Dolohov. No better than your bleeding brother you are."

"What-"

"Granger's been imperiused you daft twit." Draco snapped. "I've been planning that for ages, trying to get back into the ministries good graces and you decide to try and play-"

"Wait, you been hexing the witches?"

"Just Granger." Draco sighed. "Look, I don't know how much time we have before the team shows up and I don't have the time to explain the complexities of our plan to the likes of you. How long did it take you to finish at Durmstrang's, twelve years?"

"Ten, but-"

"Just, tell me where the bloody witch is Dolohov." Draco said in a bored voice as the wizard looked on at him blankly.

"Upstairs, left her in the cupboard I did. Figured Potter would be stupid enough to open it again if something happened to me."

"Yes, well I don't have time for this. Go get her." Draco demanded.

Dolohov went to move but his feet suddenly stopped, his frown deepening as he turned to Malfoy "Where's my books? My money?" he asked and Draco sighed as he used his wand to accio the bag they had stashed in the other room.

"Here." He thrust the bag at the man. "Now, Granger."

Dolohov, for whatever it was worth, seemed to have the sense to actually look in the bag before he nodded and looked back to Draco. "This ain't even what we agreed on."

"Well, plans change and you fucked up my plan Dolohov so you get what you get-"

"No," the man said, sounding like a petulant child as he stamped his foot on the floor. "I get what I ask or the mudblood won't live another second."

Draco growled deep in his throat but said nothing more and it seemed like Dolohov's simple mindedness began to clear slightly as he took in the look on the blonde man's face.

"Oh but this ain't just a Malfoy scheme is it? You- you have feelings for the bitch don't ya? What, wanted a mommy for your little bastard? Tell ya what, you give me what I originally asked for and I'll think about letting her go. I guess I owe you that much since little Scorpius' mommy didn't last too long. Way I see it, you're getting a good deal. Might even let you have the mudblood back in one piece. That is after I take a turn of course, I do so like the loud-"

The man was cut off as Draco hexed him, sending his body sprawling down the stairs and he cursed himself before the body had even slid to a stop as he realized his mistake. He took the steps two at a time until he came to Harry's body. "Finite Incantatem."

"Fucking prick." Harry said as he came back. "You weren't supposed to aim me at the bloody wall."

"Yes, well, things happen." Draco said with a grimace as Harry pulled himself to his feet. "But we have more pressing matters now."

"Draco, please tell me that's not Strom Dolohov's body at the bottom of the stairs."

"I wish I could." Draco sighed.

Harry turned on him then, his face red with anger. "I _told_ you not to let your anger get the better of you."

"I know." Draco said urgently. "I know, but I need to get to Hermione."

Harry sighed. "I have to call someone, perhaps Charlie Weasley will-"

He was interrupted by the scream that seemed to slice through the air like the blade of a dagger and the hairs on the back of Draco's neck stood up as he took off toward the stairs and back to the room in which the cupboard was.

"Don't touch it!" Harry shouted from directly behind him. "Whatever you do, don't touch it."

Draco could barely hear him, however as he barreled into the room and towards the small door that was almost hidden behind a book shelf just as Harry's body collided with his, knocking the wind out of him.

"Don't fucking touch it Draco!" Potter bellowed, "It must have been activated somehow when you hexed Dolohov."

"She's in there." Draco roared as Hermione let out another scream. "She's in there and I need to get to her."

"I sent a patronus, she needs you too much Draco, she can't-"

"For fuck's sake Harry I'm not waiting for your team to get here when the woman I love is in danger!"

Harry paused then and the silence settled over the room, the weight of it stifling.

"I can't let you go." Harry said. "I can't be responsible for this again."

"I'm not asking you to." Draco said from under the man's weight and another scream echoed through the room. "Please. Just let me open it. Let me get her out."

"I'll do it." Harry said firmly.

"No. Absolutely not." Draco argued as Harry stood up.

Both men started toward the cupboard, each of them glaring at the other. "Draco, I need to do this."

"Why?" Draco asked firmly, his chest heaving.

"Because it should have been me the first time. The curse breaker that arrived that day, she said that she had never seen anything like that curse before but basically it was a cruciatus curse meant to latch onto a person and torture them over a span of time. It attached itself to me and Ron pushed me, forcibly out of the way. He saved my life that day even though he shouldn't have been able to and I need to do this now, not only for Hermione but for Ron too."

"You're an idiot-" Draco said as he took in Harry's words and Harry shook his head, stepping forward once more, only to be matched in the movement by the other man. "Wait, you said it attaches to one person?"

"Yes, whoever opens that door should-"

"Let's do it together."

"That's not how it works-"

"We have to try." Draco said urgently, his voice grim. " _I have to try_."

Harry stared at the wizard, his eyes searching, before finally and slowly, he nodded and both men stepped forward, their breaths held in their lungs as their hands grasped the handle on the door and slowly pulled.

 **A/N: Agh! I am horrible with these cliffies. I'm sorry guys! (Kind of.) I did post another Dramione story since this one is winding down. I'd love to hear your comments on that one! It's called "The Scars We Carry" Check it out!**


	17. Of Bruises

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other recognizable works or characters.**

 **A/N: Important question at the bottom. Also, more M material in this chapter. It's italicized incase you want to skip it.**

 **Chapter 17**

Draco pulled Hermione's limp body from the small space, her head resting in the crook of his elbow as she started to scream once more. His hand reached out, sliding it down her cheek as he tried to wake her. "What's wrong with her?"

"Here, move." Harry said roughly but Draco kept firmly in his spot, ignoring the man. "Draco, please."

Finally, he moved, only just as Harry slid down beside Hermione's head. "Mione."

Hermione's scream died off but she didn't wake and Draco realized his hands were shaking profusely. A noise came from the floor below and Harry turned "We're up here."

Heavy footsteps on the floor and the door burst open, a red haired man appearing in the doorway. "What happened?"

Harry jumped into action then, informing the newcomers of the situation and of the curse that the two had seemingly avoided and Draco was only vaguely aware of another person sliding in beside him, their hands reaching out to touch the woman in his arms.

"I've seen this." The voice said and Draco looked up then to see Longbottom looking around with wide eyes and a pale face. "I've seen this before… take her to Hogwarts."

"What?" Draco stammered.

"Hogwarts." Neville said, standing up. "I have something for this in my greenhouse. Take her to the hospital wing. Pomfrey is there. Go Malfoy. Please."

Draco watched as Neville took a step forward and turned on the spot and quickly disappeared before he finally stood up, pulling Hermione up in his arms with him as he went. He held her tightly against him as he too turned on the spot and apparated outside the gates of Hogwarts. He shifted the woman in his arms slightly as Harry appeared suddenly beside him and the gates opened of their own accord.

They had barely made it two steps when they heard Harry's name being called from behind them and Harry turned quickly. "Hagrid."

"But what are you doin', Blasted, is that 'Mione?" the giant man asked. "what did you do to her?"

"No, Hagrid… it's… Malfoy is-"

"Take her." Malfoy said suddenly, stepping toward the man. "Longbottom is waiting for her in the hospital wing. Please, hurry."

The oaf didn't need any more pushing thankfully as he took the unconscious woman in his arms and took off quickly and Draco fought the wave of nausea in his own stomach before he continued on after them.

It had been years since he had been here, in the halls of Hogwarts. Even after being cleared of all charges by the Wizengamot, he hadn't dared step closer to this place than in Hogsmeade. Walking in the hallways was nerve wracking as memories from so long ago threatened his vision and his composure.

He managed to make to the hospital wing without completely falling apart and was glad to see Longbottom entering the room right in front of him as he quickened his steps.

Draco slid up next to her bed just as Neville began to pour a thick, black and steamy substance into a spoon, his hands shaking as he did so. "Are you sure it's safe Longbottom?"

Neville looked up sharply, his gaze hardening slightly but he nodded. "It's fine. It's… it's fine."

He finished filling the spoon and nodded to the man on Hermione's left. "Harry, hold her jaw open for me."

Draco watched on as they poured the substance into her mouth and Neville used his hand to help move it down her throat and then stood back as the seconds ticked by. He managed to count to forty-two before she started coughing, spluttering as she came to.

"Hermione." Harry breathed and brought her hand up in his as he squeezed it.

"D-Draco?"

"He's here… he's fine, he's-"

"I'm here." Draco said, stepping forward to stand beside Harry Potter as Hermione started crying.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean-"

"Stop." He said firmly, moving to sit on the bed beside her. "Don't you dare apologize. If anyone should be sorry it's me. I should have thought about the Prophet, I should have increased the wards on the manor, I should have kept you safe."

Hermione croaked something before coughing twice and shaking her head with a small smile "Shut up."

Draco leaned down, resting his forehead against hers, a stray tear falling down his cheek as it hit him just how close he had come to losing her.

"Hermione, I can't lose you-" he said breathlessly.

"I'm not going anywhere." She said quietly, reaching up to stroke his cheek with her thumb. "well unless you fire me but honestly-"

He silenced her as his lips found hers, his hand reaching up to tangle in her curls gently as he held her there firmly in place. He mostly wanted her to shut up and stop ruining the moment but he also wanted to show her in that kiss how much she meant to him. How happy he was that she was alright and the immense joy that seemed to be filling him up from the inside out.

"I'm afraid I'm never letting you go. Ever." He said when he finally pulled away, his forehead still resting against hers and she let out a small laugh just as a throat cleared loudly from behind them and Draco pulled away to see Headmistress McGonagall looking at them sternly. "Does anyone mind telling me what is going on?"

Draco turned back to Hermione who gave him a small smile and squeezed his hand, refusing to let go as they all launched into the story of what had happened, Draco never letting his eyes leave Hermione. Not even for a second.

* * *

"What on earth happened?" Hermione cried as she caught sight of the man before her.

She was settled on the bed, all three children tucked in beside her, and Draco found himself smiling despite the situation.

"Draco Malfoy-" she warned and it was then that his mother chose to walk through the door with the bruise paste in hand.

"It's nothing." He promised but sighed at her expression as the children looked worriedly between the two adults.

They had brought Hermione home after Madam Pomfrey had given her the all clear but Harry had asked Draco to come to the ministry to give a statement about what had happened. Strom Dolohov had not survived his fall down the stairs and though Draco knew he was no murderer, he couldn't say he was sorry that the man had died. It was there that Neville had cornered him, asking about his intentions with Hermione and how he intended to keep her safe in the future if he hadn't been able to then. He probably shouldn't have been smarmy with the man, but he had wanted to get home to see his children and his witch. His black eye was nothing compared to the pain he had felt only hours before, when he thought for sure that he had lost her.

"Draco, please." Hermione said pleadingly and he sighed as he set down the paste and sat down on the bed, allowing Rose to climb into his lap.

"Neville happened…"

"Neville did that?" she asked, her voice rising slightly.

"Yes, but it's not a big-"

"Don't tell me it's not a big deal!" she all but yelled, the children stirring at her side.

"Hermione, love," he started, reaching out to pull her against him. "Please don't get upset."

"He shouldn't have hit you." She said, quieter this time.

"Perhaps, but I also might have deserved it." He said with a smirk and Hermione's eyes narrowed. "I promise, there are no hard feelings between us." At least, not anymore.

Hermione allowed that, her fingers lacing through his as he leaned over to kiss her gently on the lips his finger hooked under her chin as he held her in place, completely unready to stop until his mother's throat cleared.

"Hermione, are you feeling alright?" she asked and Hermione smiled but nodded.

"I am, thank you."

"I want to say that I am truly sorry. If I hadn't left-"

"If you hadn't left the children would have been here. I would much rather you have taken them to Andromeda's." Hermione said matter of factly as his mother nodded slightly.

"I also wanted to assure you that I had no knowledge of Lucius' deal with the ministry for your safe-"

"I know," Hermione smiled, "I don't blame you, or him really. I'm… I'm glad you'll get to see him and thank you, Narcissa, for keeping the children safe and taking care of them."

"Of course." His mother said, as though it had never even crossed her mind to do anything different. "I'll go make sure dinner is started and have one of the elves bring you up something-"

She turned then and Hermione elbowed him- quite hard- in the side, nodding her head at the woman and giving him a stern expression.

"Mother?" He called and she turned. "Thank you, for everything…I love you."

Narcissa looked startled for a moment before she recovered and nodded. "And I love you."

She turned then, to continue on with her task, but neither Hermione nor Draco missed the huge smile that overtook her features or the tears that glittered down her cheeks as she left.

And Draco settled back then, allowing Rose to snuggle between him and Hermione, the bed and his heart full.

They were quiet as they rested, the kids drifting off in the safety of their parents arms and Draco looked over to see Hermione smiling down at the children and he couldn't help it as he leaned over and kissed her one more time.

"I thought I lost you." He said quietly against her lips.

"I thought I lost you." She echoed back to him.

"The ministry is putting up stronger wards." He said quietly. "and I would, I would like it very much if you would move to my rooms." Hermione took a deep breath and he could see her frown slightly. "Unless of course you wish not to.."

"No, it's not that, I do, it's just… I don't want to be that far from the children."

He sighed, "Hermione, I think you've misunderstood me. I want you all to move closer to me. Out of the Governess suites…"

"I- I would like that, very much." She breathed as he leaned in to kiss her gently upon the lips.

He knew they had many things to discuss and Draco knew that once the adrenaline from the night wore off he would have to deal with the knowledge that Strom had thrust upon him, knowledge that Harry Potter was already looking into. Absently he reached over Hermione, his thumb ghosting down Scorpius' cheek as he thought about the mother he never got to know. The mother Draco had spent years believing had walked out on her child. The knowledge that she hadn't gone as willingly as he once believed was enough to make his heart ache. As if sensing his thoughts, Hermione's hand caught his, giving his fingers a tight squeeze and he turned to meet her gaze, a sad smile on her face and he knew that no matter what happened next, he wouldn't be alone.

* * *

Draco sighed as he stood in front of the heavy, wrought iron gates, his jaw clenched and his brow furrowed.

It had been six months since their run in with Strom Dolohov and three weeks since Harry Potter had closed the case. He had known, from the moment he had heard Strom talk about Astoria that it wouldn't be easy but the hard part had only just begun. He had heard broken tales over the next few months, pieces of a story that he had bitterly worked to swallow. He wasn't proud of the man he had become in those days as he learned of Astoria's fate. He had blamed himself for the way things had ended. If he had seen things clearer, if he hadn't taken her words as lightly. Perhaps…

His anger and his sorrow for the wife he never mourned seemed to follow him around like a black cloud. It hung over him as the case dragged on and he had fallen back into the comfortable hostility that he had used as an armor as a child and a teenager.

And Hermione stayed with him. It was during this time that she had signed both him and Potter up for her muggle mind doctor. He had scoffed at the idea but his mother had cornered him and eventually, he had relented. It was the reason he was here now. Waiting.

His mother was the only one who seemed to have flourished in the madness that was the weeks following Hermione's kidnapping. Draco had told her, somewhat unwillingly, of his father's demand to see her before his death. He had expected her to be pleased, and she was, but what he wasn't expecting was for her to ask that he accompany her.

He had done so for her, to make sure she was safe. What he hadn't expected was what had happened next. When his mother had walked in she had told him, in no uncertain terms that while she had loved him, she detested his behavior towards not only their son but also towards herself. Draco had watched as his mother had told him good-bye and hadn't looked back. It was her actions then that had spurred him on and he had found himself seeking out Hermione as soon as they returned to the manor.

" _Are you alright?" she asked as he pushed open the bedroom door and she stood up from where she had been sitting on the settee. It was then, as he looked into her deep brown eyes that he saw what an arse he had been._

 _Before she could protest he had crossed the room and kneeled down before her, pulling her hands into his, "Hermione, I am so sorry. My attitude has been inexcusable lately-"_

 _"_ _Draco-" she said softly, her fingers running through his hair, the gesture alone making his eyes water._

 _"_ _I do not deserve you-"_

 _She pushed him away then, only to sit back down on the couch and reach down to pull him up beside her, her hands holding his cheeks tightly between her palms so that he could not look away. "You have suffered a loss Draco, if anyone understands that it's me. But you are not ending this Draco Malfoy. You are not ending_ _ **us.**_ _"_

 _He gaped at her, reaching up to pull her hands away from his face, "I may not be as bright as you Granger but I'm not a daft twit. You couldn't get rid of me if you tried."_

 _Pulling her tightly against him, he captured her lips with his and relished in the fact that she molded into him, her hands entwining in his hair as he deepened the kiss._

 _"_ _I love you-" he breathed against her lips, "I could live a thousand lifetimes and never deserve you but I'm selfish and as long as you'll have me, I'm going to keep you."_

 _She chortled lightly then as she twisted to straddle his lap and she nipped at his ear as she whispered, "You Slytherins are all the same."_

 _He breathed out a laugh and gripped her hips, pressing his want firmly between her thighs and relishing in the sound she made as she tipped her head back in pleasure. She pushed forward then, reaching down to undo the button on his trousers and he quickly scrambled out of them as she fell to her knees before him and pulled his length into her mouth. He might have been undone then, the things the woman could do with her tongue, but he held tight as she slid her tongue up and down until finally he just couldn't. He gripped her arms and turned them so that he hovered over her on the plush rug that covered his worn wooden floors and deftly pushed down her fleece pyjama bottoms, smirking as she hastily kicked them off her legs as he positioned himself at her entrance._

 _"_ _Are you-" He was cut off by her lips against his, greedily kissing away any doubts he had as he slowly, and purposefully, pushed into her._

 _She whimpered as he stilled, letting her grow accustom to his size before he finally started moving, thrusting in and out of her slick, wet heat as her fingers dug trails along his hips, always pulling him back for more. He sucked her lip into his mouth, smiling at the unbecoming shriek that left her throat as he did so as she arched her back up and pushed herself even more firmly against him. It was then, as he made love to the woman, her hair a complete mess, her eyes shut tightly as she took over his job and gnawed on her bottom lip that he realized he didn't want to waste another second. He had mourned for Astoria and to put an amount on how much and how long he_ _ **should**_ _continue to mourn only made him lose that much more time with the woman beneath him, and he had already done enough of that to last a lifetime back at Hogwarts._

 _He leaned down then, his lips next to her ear as his movements slowed and she picked up the pace for him, her hips thrusting up to meet his as he quietly and unhurriedly whispered, "Marry me?"_

 _Her own movements ceased then and he froze, his heart thrumming painfully in his throat as he pulled back to meet her deep brown gaze._

 _"_ _I'm-"_

 _"_ _You mean it?" she asked once she had caught sight of him._

 _"_ _Of course I mean it," he replied simply. She should know, by now, that he never said anything he didn't mean. Not anymore._

 _The smile slowly drew across her lips and her fingers wove around his neck, pulling him against her once more as their lips connected, "Yes."_

 _They both moved then, reaching their climax together and wrapped up in each other's embrace._

Draco now stood in the cemetery, a light smattering of rain accompanying him on the long walk. There was no question in his mind that he was doing the right thing, but he couldn't help but feel the pull of guilt in his gut. Walking slowly, he read off the names on the markers until he found it and ever so slowly he let his hand fall on top of the carved stone, the lump in his throat sticking tightly until he finally cleared it, the sound echoing around the empty stillness of the graves.

"I'm sorry," he finally said, closing his eyes tightly as the drops of water stuck to his lashes. "I'm sorry that I'm here and you don't get to be. He's a wonderful boy, he's more like you than me to be honest and I'm so thankful for that because I could hardly stand myself let another another one of me. I should have come sooner, and I'm sorry for that but Doctor Jennings, she thinks, she _feels_ that I'm ready. For closure, and to move on and… I agree with her. For so long I was angry with you, for leaving him; for leaving me. When I found out you might not have left willingly I was even more angry and I didn't really know why. I do now and I'm ready to let it go. To let you go. I'm sorry Tori, I'm sorry that I didn't listen to you when Scorpius was born and I'm sorry that I thought you had left without so much as a word. I can't take back what I did or didn't do but I, I can say I'm sorry. I tell Scorpius of you. He knows now who you were and I'm sorry I didn't do that to begin with. I- I love you Astoria. I think I always will. You gave me a beautiful son after all but… I'm ready to let go. I need to let go."

He nodded, having said what he had come to say as he stood from where he had knelt down before the stone and his eyes widened in surprise as he saw her, sitting on a bench not far away, her eyes gazing into the distance. He smiled then as he touched the cold, unyielding gravestone once more before he wandered over to where she sat and slid down next to her, pulling her hand into his, "What are you doing here?"

She leaned into him, resting her head against his shoulder, "I wanted to make sure you were alright."

His gaze shifted to Astoria's grave once more before he nodded, kissing Hermione's forehead gently, letting her now, without words, that he was alright. He knew then, as they sat silently, where she was looking.

"Do you want to-"

"Yes," she breathed, and she stood up, smoothing out her coat before turning to him, "Will you come with me?"

He nodded, "of course."

Together they walked, hand in hand, to where Ronald Weasley was buried. The stone, while much simpler than Astoria's, was covered with flowers and notes, a sign of adoration of the missing part of the Golden trio. Draco watched as Hermione inched closer, her fingers squeezing his own tightly, before she finally pulled away and he stepped back, allowing her a moment.

He watched as she leaned her head down, not breathing a word, her forehead resting on the headstone until she finally turned, beckoning for him and he obliged, helping her to stand beside him.

"Are _you_ alright?" he asked once he had his arm firmly around her waist, her hip pressed against his.

"I am," she said simply and he noticed the unshed tears in her eyes as well as the small smile on her lips. "now."

He leaned in, pressing his lips against her forehead once and allowing her to pull away. It wasn't until she turned away, ready to head back to the apparition point that he stopped, turning to look at the grey stone before him as he nodded his head, "I am so sorry Ronald, but thank you."

Hermione smiled at him once more as he caught up to her, slipping his hand into hers as they walked back out of the gates as the sun began to shine, the gleam hitting the ring on her finger as he raised it up to place a kiss on her knuckles and she leaned against him as the familiar tug of apparition drew them away. Together.

 **A/N: So, that's it folks. Question, would you like an epilogue? Also, head on over to The Scars We Carry and let me know what you think. The 2nd chapter is up and I'm hoping to be doing daily updates! Would love for some of you wonderful reviewers over there!**


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